Within a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
This is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and responding effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, advantage when players fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet value can be ascribed to them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the turf to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
