In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His performance in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the time committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet significance can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team responded for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this triumph joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
