Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the investment made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, impetus when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
