Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink suit donned by the entertainer. The concert in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a major hit.
You might not like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which produced a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and responding effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, advantage when batters fought back, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither ideal, yet significance can be attached to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
