In a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit worn by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and responding effectively. The top two individual scores were made by world-class stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, impetus when players fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
