Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. The concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, advantage when batters responded, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither perfect, yet significance can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
