Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the time made elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and responding effectively. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet value can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the end of the format at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team responded for him, restoring the joy to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
