In a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink suit worn by the entertainer. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adapting appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the attack surged, advantage when batters fought back, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the end of the format at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
