In a showcase on the upper level of the MCG rests a neon pink outfit worn by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 fans was considered a major hit.
You might not like his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the time committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – reading the wicket and responding appropriately. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the attack dominated, momentum when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
