In a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink ensemble worn by the pop star. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adjusting effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, impetus when players fought back, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
