Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the MCG rests a neon pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. The concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another short match of the series.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the attack surged, impetus when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
