In a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink suit worn by the pop star. His concert in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands made noise and chanted, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, impetus when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
