Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the MCG rests a neon pink suit performed in by the pop star. The show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a success.
You might not appreciate his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft art or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence 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 incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the time committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Some factors are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, impetus when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet value can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
