Within a glass case on the upper level of the MCG rests a electric pink outfit worn by the pop star. The show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game 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 recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, advantage when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
