Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit worn by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
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 reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the time made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters responded, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. 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 enormous pressure on his back.
The players responded for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.
