In a glass case on the third floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink outfit donned by the pop star. His performance in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a success.
It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game 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 second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the time devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack surged, impetus when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
