In a showcase on the upper level of the MCG rests a vibrant pink outfit donned by the pop star. The concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and responding accordingly. The best individual scores were made by world-class stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
