Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink outfit donned by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you like the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the wicket which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, thousands celebrated and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
