Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. The concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a triumph.
You might not like his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the investment devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and responding effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans made noise and chanted, producing a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, advantage when players responded, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team responded for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.
