Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a major hit.
You might not appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest 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 illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the patience made in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people made noise and chanted, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, advantage when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet significance can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
