In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink outfit performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a major hit.
You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the time made in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
