Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink outfit worn by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a success.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the patience committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, impetus when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not perfect, yet significance can be attached to them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad protected him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
