Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a neon pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. The show in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the time committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adjusting appropriately. The best individual innings were made by recognized batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, impetus when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
