In a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit donned by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and responding effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, impetus when the top order responded, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
