Within a glass case on the upper level of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which produced a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, impetus when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither perfect, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the turf to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
