Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. The concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and adapting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack excelled, impetus when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the turf to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
