Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create 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 contest is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
This is not a justification of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the investment committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the format at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
