In a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a success.
You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the investment committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, momentum when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
