Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the investment committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, restoring the smile to his face.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
