In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink outfit worn by the pop star. His show in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the series.
Having a thick layer on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by recognized stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, advantage when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the end of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team responded for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
