Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a success.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
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 series.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the time committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, thousands made noise and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, impetus when the top order responded, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players protected him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this triumph joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
