In a showcase on the third floor of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a success.
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 middle ground, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the time made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players protected him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but something to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
