Within a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the time devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adapting effectively. The best individual scores were made by world-class players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, impetus when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
