In a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the pitch which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core 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 mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the time made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The best individual innings were made by recognized players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands celebrated and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, advantage when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the joy to his face.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
