In a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit donned by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a success.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The best individual scores were made by world-class players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands made noise and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, impetus when players responded, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players responded for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
