Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. The show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the pitch which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the time committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. 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 years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, advantage when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
