Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the time committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, advantage when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be found in each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the field to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
