Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink suit donned by the entertainer. The show in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – both are not the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
