Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence 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 varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the time devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the attack surged, impetus when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet value can be ascribed to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
