Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink outfit donned by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to create music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in abstract form.
This is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the time devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the attack excelled, impetus when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
