In a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink ensemble worn by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the time devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players fought back, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet value can be ascribed to them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to develop from.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
