In a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink suit donned by the pop star. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a success.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the patience devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, advantage when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – neither the standard, yet value can be ascribed to them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, restoring the smile to his persona.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
