Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the patience committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, impetus when the top order responded, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
