In a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adjusting appropriately. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the attack surged, momentum when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
