Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink outfit donned by the entertainer. The performance in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a triumph.
You might not like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet value can be attached to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the end of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
