Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG is housed a electric pink outfit donned by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a success.
It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the investment made elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and responding appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by recognized players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, thousands made noise and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, advantage when batters responded, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
