Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of 100,024 fans was considered a success.
You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the session, the 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 craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the time committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and responding appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by world-class batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be found in them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the death of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
