In a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not like his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the patience committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the attack surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, reinstating the joy to his face.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but something to build on.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
