Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the attack dominated, impetus when batters responded, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players responded for him, restoring the joy to his face.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
