Within a showcase on the third floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink suit donned by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a major hit.
You might not enjoy the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a justification of the surface which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the investment devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people made noise and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet value can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team responded for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this MCG win joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
