Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a neon pink suit worn by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the patience committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the attack surged, impetus when batters fought back, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
