Within a showcase on the third floor of the MCG rests a electric pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the patience devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by recognized players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.