Within a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by the pop star. The show in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the investment made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and adjusting effectively. The best individual innings were made by world-class players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players responded for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to build on.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
