Within a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. The performance in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a success.
You might not like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the investment committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adjusting effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, impetus when batters responded, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
