In a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink outfit worn by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a major hit.
You might not like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the investment made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and responding effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans made noise and chanted, producing a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack surged, advantage when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
