Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you like the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas 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 great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the investment made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adjusting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team protected him, restoring the smile to his persona.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
