In a glass case on the third floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the time committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, momentum when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – neither perfect, yet significance can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
