Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink outfit donned by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a success.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.
This is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the time made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – one is not more ideal, yet value can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The players delivered for him, restoring the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win joins other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
