Within a glass case on the third floor of the MCG sits a electric pink suit worn by the pop star. The show in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the time made elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the attack surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the death of the format at all," observed a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, reinstating the joy to his face.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
