Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
You might not like the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, advantage when batters responded, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team protected him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
