Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a success.
You might not like his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands waved their flags and chanted, producing a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the attack dominated, momentum when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
