In a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble donned by the pop star. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in abstract form.
This is not a defence of the pitch which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature 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 diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the investment devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and responding appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands made noise and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, impetus when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the field to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
