Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink suit worn by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the series.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the time devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, momentum when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players protected him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the turf to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
