Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. The show in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not like his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to create art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The best individual innings were made by recognized players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
