Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink outfit donned by the entertainer. The concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the patience committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, advantage when batters fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
