Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink outfit worn by the entertainer. The concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you like his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the patience made elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adjusting effectively. The top two individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, momentum when players responded, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be found in both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad responded for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
