Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink suit performed in by the pop star. 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 ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time made in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adapting effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the field to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
