In a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His concert in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you like his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the patience devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people made noise and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, advantage when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the death of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to build on.
In the end, this MCG win joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
