Within a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink ensemble worn by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a success.
You might not enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the session, the ball â the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time made in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving â assessing the conditions and responding effectively. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range â one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.
