In a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a neon pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a win and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the time made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the attack excelled, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – one is not more the standard, yet value can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the death of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.
