Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, causing 36 wickets 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 illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the patience committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adapting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet significance can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team protected him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
