In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit worn by the entertainer. The concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the investment made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adapting effectively. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and chanted, producing a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the attack dominated, momentum when batters responded, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be attached to both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but something to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
