Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His show in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the time devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, advantage when batters responded, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – both are not perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players protected him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
