Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a success.
You might not like his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the surface which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having excessive grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the investment committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding appropriately. The best individual scores were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
