Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink suit performed in by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
You might not like his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the patience committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and adapting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by recognized batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
