In a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The concert in front of 100,024 fans was considered a success.
You might not appreciate his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and responding appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team responded for him, bringing back the joy to his face.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
