Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the patience made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and adjusting effectively. The top two individual scores were made by world-class stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, momentum when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – both are not perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the field to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
