Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink outfit donned by the entertainer. The show in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the time committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adapting accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet significance can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
