In a showcase on the third floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the time devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
