Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create art or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which produced a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the patience made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the attack dominated, momentum when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players protected him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this MCG win joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the field to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
