In a showcase on the upper level of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His performance in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
