In a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG sits a neon pink suit donned by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack surged, impetus when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the death of the format at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players protected him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
