In a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a major hit.
You might not appreciate the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having excessive grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the time made in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adapting appropriately. The best individual scores were made by recognized stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack surged, advantage when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – neither the standard, yet value can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
