In a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink outfit performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, advantage when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be found in both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the field to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
