Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink suit donned by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a triumph.
You might not like his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.
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 The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the time committed elsewhere.
Problem Solving: The Core Skill
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adapting effectively. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack dominated, advantage when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be ascribed to both.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the death of the format at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The squad protected him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
