In a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink suit performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the patience made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet value can be found in them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad protected him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to build on.
At the very least, this triumph joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
