Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the attack excelled, advantage when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, bringing back the joy to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the field to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
