Within a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink outfit donned by the entertainer. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a triumph.
You might not like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the time committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this triumph joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
