Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. The concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the patience devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adapting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, advantage when the top order responded, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
