Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a electric pink suit worn by the pop star. The performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.
The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the investment devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and responding effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands celebrated and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
New faces performed with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
