In a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink outfit worn by the pop star. His performance in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you like the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, impetus when batters fought back, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the end of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
