Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create music or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, momentum when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.
