In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 fans was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the patience committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, impetus when batters responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be attached to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
