Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the MCG rests a electric pink outfit worn by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a success.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals 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 diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the investment made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – neither the standard, yet value can be found in them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad responded for him, restoring the smile to his face.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
