Within a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the patience made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and adapting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, advantage when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet value can be found in both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players protected him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the turf to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
