Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a success.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the patience committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adapting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, advantage when players fought back, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
