Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the patience made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by world-class batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players fought back, and unconditional love when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the end of the format at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players protected him, reinstating the joy to his face.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad congregated on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
