Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the MCG rests a electric pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, impetus when players fought back, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
