Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit worn by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the patience committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by world-class players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack surged, impetus when players responded, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet value can be attached to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
