In a showcase on the upper level of the MCG is housed a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a success.
You might not enjoy the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which yielded a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the patience devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adjusting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by recognized batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, impetus when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – neither ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, restoring the smile to his face.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.