Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a major hit.
You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment made in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and adjusting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by world-class players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, advantage when batters responded, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team protected him, restoring the smile to his persona.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
