Within a glass case on the third floor of the MCG rests a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. The performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the patience made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The best individual scores were made by recognized players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack surged, impetus when batters fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet significance can be found in both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players protected him, bringing back the smile to his face.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
