In a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the patience committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
