In a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 fans was considered a success.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the investment devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players protected him, bringing back the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
