Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit worn by the entertainer. The concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a success.
You might not appreciate the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG 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 adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, advantage when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the end of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
