Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG sits a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a success.
It's possible you like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
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 seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the patience devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adapting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, impetus when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players protected him, bringing back the smile to his face.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
