Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a neon pink suit donned by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a success.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, causing 36 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 idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the time committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adjusting effectively. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his face.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to build on.
At the very least, this triumph joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
