In a glass case on the upper level of the MCG rests a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His concert in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a major hit.
You might not enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, advantage when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
