Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG rests a neon pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His show in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a major hit.
You might not enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the investment made elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and adapting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, thousands celebrated and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, momentum when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the format at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players protected him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
