Within a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink suit worn by the entertainer. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the time committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by world-class batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet significance can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad protected him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
