Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink outfit donned by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
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 contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets 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 notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the patience committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adapting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, thousands made noise and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, advantage when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
