Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink outfit performed in by the pop star. His concert in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a major hit.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the time committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and responding appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack surged, momentum when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players responded for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
