Within a glass case on the third floor of the MCG sits a neon pink suit performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a triumph.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adapting appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands celebrated and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the end of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
