Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a success.
You might not appreciate the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by world-class players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans made noise and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, impetus when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet value can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
