Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink outfit donned by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
You might not like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the investment committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, impetus when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team responded for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
