In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. His concert in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the another short match of the contest.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the investment made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, advantage when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, 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 former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
