In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a major hit.
You might not appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – neither perfect, yet value can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
