Within a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the patience committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, momentum when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket 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 slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of the format at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
