Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a success.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and responding effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players protected him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Different players performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this triumph is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
