Within a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a success.
You might not like his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, advantage when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the death of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
