Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. The performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the investment made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
