In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a neon pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His performance in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the patience committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the attack dominated, momentum when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – both are not perfect, yet significance can be attached to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad protected him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the field to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
