Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink outfit worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a triumph.
You might not like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the investment made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and responding appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands celebrated and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, impetus when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team protected him, reinstating the smile to his face.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
