Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit worn by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the investment devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and responding effectively. The best individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when players fought back, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
