Within a glass case on the upper level of the MCG is housed a neon pink suit performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't 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 songs are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the patience committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands made noise and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, momentum when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet value can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, restoring the smile to his face.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
