Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create 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 dependent on conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which yielded a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the investment committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and responding effectively. The best individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, advantage when players fought back, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the end of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
