Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. The concert in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the investment made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, advantage when players responded, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet value can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.