In a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to create art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which produced a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adapting effectively. The top two individual scores were made by world-class players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the attack dominated, advantage when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this triumph joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
