In a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a success.
You might not appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, causing 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the attack surged, momentum when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither perfect, yet value can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
