'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a 48-Hour Match Deserved Its Status as a Genuine Cricket Test.
In a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink outfit donned by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a success.
You might not appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the patience devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team responded for him, restoring the joy to his face.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the turf to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.