In a glass case on the upper level of the MCG rests a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 fans was considered a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence 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 diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the time made elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, momentum when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be found in them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his face.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
