Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not enjoy the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and responding appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the attack excelled, advantage when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
