Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a electric pink suit performed in by the pop star. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a success.
You might not like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by world-class players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, impetus when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
