Within a showcase on the third floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His performance in front of 100,024 attendees was seen as a triumph.
You might not enjoy the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is art, the strip is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and responding effectively. The top two individual innings were made by recognized batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands made noise and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, impetus when batters responded, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be found in each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
