In a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink ensemble donned by the pop star. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
You might not like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
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 stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and responding accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack surged, advantage when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
