Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the attack surged, advantage when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players responded for him, bringing back the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
