Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink outfit donned by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, 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 great game broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and responding appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by recognized players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, thousands celebrated and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither perfect, yet significance can be attached to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players delivered for him, restoring the smile to his persona.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
