Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the investment made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, thousands made noise and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players responded, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
