In a showcase on the upper level of the MCG rests a neon pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a success.
You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, causing 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the patience devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack excelled, momentum when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither perfect, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
