Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink outfit performed in by the pop star. The show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a triumph.
You might not enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adjusting effectively. The best individual innings were made by world-class players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, impetus when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet value can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
