Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a success.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team protected him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.
