In a showcase on the third floor of the MCG sits a neon pink outfit performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a major hit.
It's possible you like his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the pitch which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the investment devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by world-class players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet value can be attached to both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
