Within a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which produced a win and the another short match of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and adapting effectively. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the attack surged, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet value can be found in each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the end of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
