Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the MCG rests a electric pink outfit performed in by the pop star. The concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the investment made in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the end of the format at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the turf to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
