In a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink suit donned by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a success.
It's possible you like the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a win and the another short match of the series.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the investment committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans made noise and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – both are not the standard, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the joy to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to build on.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
