Within a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink suit worn by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you like his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by recognized batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the attack surged, advantage when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet significance can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
