Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His concert in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a triumph.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the patience committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
