In a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink outfit performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, advantage when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – neither ideal, yet value can be found in each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
