In a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the patience made in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, advantage when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
