Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit worn by the entertainer. The concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the surface, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, momentum when players responded, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet value can be found in both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," said a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad protected him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
