Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the strip is the canvas on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment made elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adapting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
