In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature 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 wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adjusting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by world-class stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order responded, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
