Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which produced a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the time devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet value can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad protected him, bringing back the smile to his face.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this MCG win joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
