Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink outfit donned by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are fantastic 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 art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adapting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the supporters who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, momentum when batters responded, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – neither perfect, yet value can be found in both.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.
