Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the investment made in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by world-class batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be found in them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
