Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. His performance in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another short match of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the patience devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – both are not perfect, yet value can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the smile to his face.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the field to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
