Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG is housed a neon pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. The concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a success.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, 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 counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, impetus when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be attached to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of the format at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
