Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a success.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the time devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, advantage when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet value can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
