In a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. 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 list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the time committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack surged, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet value can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the field to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.
