Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. You might think 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 point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another short match of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the patience committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – both are not perfect, yet significance can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
