In a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adjusting effectively. The best individual innings were made by recognized players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be found in each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
