In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.
You might not like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
This is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – both are not perfect, yet significance can be found in each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
