Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the time devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, advantage when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be attached to them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team protected him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
