In a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit worn by the pop star. The show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a success.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the time made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, advantage when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.
