Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the patience committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by recognized players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack surged, advantage when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be found in each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but something to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the turf to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
