Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by recognized stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, momentum when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
