In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink suit worn by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the time devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and responding effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans made noise and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, momentum when players fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team protected him, bringing back the smile to his face.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
