Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG rests a vibrant pink suit worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is art, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the time devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adapting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, momentum when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, reinstating the joy to his face.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
