In a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink suit worn by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the investment committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and responding accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the attack surged, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," said a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team protected him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
