In a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.
You might not enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adapting appropriately. The best individual innings were made by recognized stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, advantage when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the end of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his face.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
