Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink suit worn by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 attendees was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the time devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet value can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team protected him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the field to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
