Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit donned by the entertainer. His concert in front of 100,024 attendees was seen as a major hit.
You might not appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and responding effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.
There was hope as the attack surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet value can be found in each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the outfield to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
