In a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.
You might not like the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the patience made elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the attack excelled, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.