Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink outfit donned by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and responding appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by recognized players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, generating a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
