In a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which yielded a win and the another short match of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the time made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adjusting effectively. The best individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet significance can be found in each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team responded for him, restoring the smile to his face.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the field to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
