Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. The show in front of 100,024 fans was considered a major hit.
You might not appreciate his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is art, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adapting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, thousands made noise and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to build on.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
