Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
This is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the time made in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adapting effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be found in both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad protected him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
