Within a showcase on the third floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the pop star. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.
You might not appreciate the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the patience devoted elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the attack surged, advantage when batters fought back, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet value can be ascribed to them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
