In a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket 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 the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the investment committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adapting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, momentum when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – both are not perfect, yet value can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
