Within a glass case on the third floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink suit worn by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the patience committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adapting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a bastion of sport.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, momentum when batters responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the end of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
New faces delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
