In a glass case on the upper level of the MCG is housed a electric pink outfit donned by the entertainer. The performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a triumph.
You might not like his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest 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 inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the time devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adapting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by recognized batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the attack surged, advantage when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
