In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the patience made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
