Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit donned by the entertainer. The performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a win and the another short match of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the investment committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and responding appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet value can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the field to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
