Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. The show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a success.
You might not like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the wicket which produced a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the patience devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, momentum when players fought back, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to build on.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to begin their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
