In a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the investment made in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, advantage when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet value can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
