In a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a success.
You might not appreciate the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the patience devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and adapting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be found in them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
