Within a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a triumph.
You might not appreciate his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the patience committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, momentum when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
