In a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG rests a electric pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, 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 qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the time made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the end of the format at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
