Within a showcase on the third floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink outfit worn by the entertainer. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a success.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the time committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adapting effectively. The best individual scores were made by world-class batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, momentum when batters responded, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
