Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink outfit donned by the entertainer. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a success.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the investment devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when players fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, restoring the smile to his face.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the field to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
