In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink outfit worn by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a success.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the patience made in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adapting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the attack dominated, advantage when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
