Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink suit donned by the pop star. The performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a success.
You might not like the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the patience devoted in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and responding accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be found in them.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad responded for him, bringing back the smile to his face.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the field to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
