Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit donned by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a success.
It's possible you like his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the time devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, producing a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when batters responded, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more the standard, yet value can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to build on.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
