Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG rests a neon pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the surface which yielded a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted 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 does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and responding appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet value can be attached to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
