Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being 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 Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the time made in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adapting effectively. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, momentum when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be found in both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
