In a glass case on the third floor of the MCG rests a neon pink outfit worn by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce literature 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 reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having excessive grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and responding appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by world-class players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans made noise and chanted, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, momentum when players responded, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team protected him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
