Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink outfit worn by the entertainer. The performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a triumph.
You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and responding appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the attack dominated, advantage when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet value can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
