In a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink suit performed in by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the investment made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack dominated, momentum when players fought back, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Spectators 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 leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
