Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a success.
It's possible you like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the investment devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adjusting effectively. The best individual innings were made by world-class players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, impetus when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the field to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
