Within a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a major hit.
You might not appreciate the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which produced a win and the another short match of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the time devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, advantage when the top order responded, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this triumph joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
