In a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink outfit donned by the entertainer. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the patience made in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the situation and responding appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," said a former player. "The people 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 preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the field to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
