Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the investment made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and responding appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by recognized batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, advantage when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the end of the format at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The players delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
