In a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink outfit worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a success.
You might not like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the patience devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – neither ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but something to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
