Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink suit donned by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
You might not like the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core 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, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the patience made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, impetus when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be found in both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"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 given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
