In a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His performance in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which yielded a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, causing 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the time made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, advantage when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – 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 be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
