Within a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another short match of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the patience made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by world-class players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack excelled, impetus when players responded, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
