Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the wicket which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the time made in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the fans who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the end of the format at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
