Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the time devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, momentum when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more the standard, yet value can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
