In a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a success.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet significance can be attached to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to develop from.
In the end, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
