In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the investment committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by recognized players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players responded for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
