Within a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the strip is the foundation on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the time devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by world-class stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans made noise and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither the standard, yet value can be found in each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
