In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink suit worn by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the patience devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands waved their flags and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack dominated, impetus when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be attached to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
