Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG is housed a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, advantage when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet value can be found in each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to begin their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
