In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a success.
You might not enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which yielded a victory and the another short match of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the time devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, advantage when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
