In a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a triumph.
You might not appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the patience committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands waved their flags and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the attack dominated, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
