Within a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a triumph.
It's possible you like the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the patience devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans made noise and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the attack surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series 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," commented a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this triumph joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
