Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. His concert in front of 100,024 fans was considered a major hit.
It's possible you like the performer. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging 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 produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack dominated, advantage when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture 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 historical weight can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
