In a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which produced a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the time devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet value can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
