Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a major hit.
You might not appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the surface which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence 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 counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the investment committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adapting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, advantage when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the format at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
