Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the patience made in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The best individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack surged, advantage when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team delivered for him, restoring the joy to his face.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
