Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The climate, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: 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.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another short match of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the investment made in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands celebrated and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, momentum when players fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players responded for him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
