Within a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the time devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, thousands celebrated and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, momentum when players responded, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – one is not more ideal, yet value can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the end of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
