In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink suit worn by the entertainer. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the investment made in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, advantage when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
