Within a showcase on the third floor of the MCG rests a electric pink suit performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the investment committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
