Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink suit performed in by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't like his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the investment devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adjusting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, impetus when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – both are not the standard, yet value can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the field to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
