Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG is housed a electric pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a major hit.
You might not enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, 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 yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the time devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and responding accordingly. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, momentum when players fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be found in them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
