Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The performance in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a success.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a win and the another short match of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion 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 ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be found in both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
