Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit worn by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adapting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by recognized players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters responded, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players protected him, bringing back the smile to his face.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
