Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink outfit worn by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a major hit.
You might not like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which produced a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the time committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad responded for him, restoring the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
