In a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink suit donned by the pop star. The show in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a success.
It's possible you like his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the patience devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, momentum when players fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to build on.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
