Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink suit performed in by the pop star. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and responding effectively. The best individual contributions were made by world-class players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team protected him, restoring the smile to his face.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
