Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit donned by the entertainer. The show in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create literature or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are all the more thrilling due to the time devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – both are not perfect, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to develop from.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
