Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a success.
You might not enjoy the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the patience made in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, momentum when batters fought back, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
