Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the MCG rests a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the pop star. His show in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a major hit.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, 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 traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the time committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, thousands celebrated and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, restoring the smile to his face.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to build on.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
