'Are You Not Entertained?' The Reason a Two-Day Fixture Deserved Its Status as a Proper Cricket Test.
In a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another short match of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people made noise and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the attack dominated, momentum when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end 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 genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to build on.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
