Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit worn by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
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 cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, 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 all the more thrilling owing to the patience committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands made noise and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, advantage when batters responded, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
