Within a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of 100,024 attendees was seen as a success.
It's possible you like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adjusting effectively. The best individual innings were made by world-class stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, advantage when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be found in both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the death of the format at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
