Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink outfit worn by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a major hit.
You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adjusting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by recognized batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, momentum when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither perfect, yet value can be attached to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the end of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team protected him, restoring the smile to his face.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to build on.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
