Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink suit worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a major hit.
You might not like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which produced a victory and the another short match of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the time committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adapting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the devotees who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet value can be attached to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
