Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the patience devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and responding appropriately. The best individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, momentum when batters responded, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be found in each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team responded for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
