In a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The best individual scores were made by world-class stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the fans who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the attack surged, momentum when batters fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team protected him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
