Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink outfit worn by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a triumph.
You might not enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.
The climate, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the wicket which produced a win and the another short match of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adjusting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players responded for him, restoring the smile to his face.
Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
In the end, this MCG win joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
