Within a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a triumph.
You might not appreciate his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket 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 cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the series.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the time committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, momentum when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team delivered for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to build on.
In the end, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
