Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even Test 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 dependent on the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which yielded a win and the another short match of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the time made in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and responding accordingly. The best individual innings were made by world-class batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, advantage when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
