In a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a major hit.
You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which produced a win and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the time devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by world-class batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans made noise and chanted, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, advantage when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players responded for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but something to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
