In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. The show in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adjusting effectively. The top two individual scores were made by world-class players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
