Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The show in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the patience devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, momentum when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
