In a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink outfit performed in by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the investment committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, momentum when batters responded, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad protected him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the field to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
