Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink suit donned by the pop star. The performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a major hit.
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, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and responding appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet value can be attached to both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
