Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a success.
It's possible you enjoy his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the time made in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adapting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, momentum when batters responded, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of the format at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
