Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink outfit donned by the pop star. His show in front of 100,024 attendees was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the time committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The best individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, momentum when players responded, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – both are not perfect, yet significance can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the turf to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
