In a glass case on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a triumph.
You might not appreciate the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the series.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the investment devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and responding effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands celebrated and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet value can be found in both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team delivered for him, restoring the smile to his face.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
