In a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a success.
You might not enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing 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 a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the series.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the patience made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and responding accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the fans who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, advantage when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – both are not the standard, yet value can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
