Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals 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 idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the patience made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the attack dominated, advantage when players fought back, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this triumph is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
