In a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. His concert in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a triumph.
You might not appreciate the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the investment devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and responding effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack excelled, advantage when players fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
