Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed 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. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which yielded a win and the another short match of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the investment committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and responding appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – both are not ideal, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the field to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
