Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink outfit worn by the pop star. The show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some hits are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the investment made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, momentum when the top order responded, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
