Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a triumph.
You might not like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the patience committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the attack dominated, impetus when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither the standard, yet value can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the end of the long game at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this triumph joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
