In a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a triumph.
You might not enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, advantage when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – one is not more the standard, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," said a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
