In a glass case on the third floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a success.
You might not enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, advantage when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be found in them.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
