Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink outfit donned by the pop star. The show in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, advantage when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet significance can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, restoring the smile to his persona.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
