In a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink outfit worn by the entertainer. His performance in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the patience committed in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the fans who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.
