Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG rests a electric pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the patience devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and responding effectively. The best individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the attack surged, impetus when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – both are not ideal, yet significance can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
