In a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink suit worn by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adapting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order responded, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – both are not perfect, yet significance can be found in each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
