In a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the wicket which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by world-class stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be attached to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the format at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
