In a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink suit worn by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a triumph.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the time devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players responded for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
