Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a major hit.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the patience made in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adjusting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters responded, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet value can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team protected him, bringing back the smile to his face.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
