In a showcase on the third floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink suit worn by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a major hit.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the time committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by world-class players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order responded, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be found in each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
