Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the MCG rests a neon pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a triumph.
You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the investment committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the attack dominated, momentum when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be found in each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
