Within a glass case on the upper level of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. The show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the time devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, advantage when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the field to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
