Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit donned by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a triumph.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a justification of the wicket which produced a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the patience made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by world-class stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
