In a showcase on the third floor of the MCG sits a neon pink ensemble donned by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a triumph.
You might not like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding accordingly. The best individual scores were made by world-class stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, producing a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the attack excelled, impetus when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
