Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a justification of the surface which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the time made in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by recognized players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack excelled, impetus when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players protected him, bringing back the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
