Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a triumph.
You might not enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement 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 The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to build on.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
