Within a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink suit worn by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't like his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the investment made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by recognized batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, impetus when players responded, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be found in both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
