In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His concert in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a success.
Perhaps you don't like his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is art, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the patience made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players responded for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to build on.
At the very least, this triumph joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
