Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His concert in front of 100,024 attendees was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adapting appropriately. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, momentum when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the death of the format at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the joy to his face.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.