Within a showcase on the third floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink outfit worn by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a success.
You might not like his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.
The weather, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Having a thick layer on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adapting effectively. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the ground, thousands made noise and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, advantage when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team delivered for him, restoring the joy to his face.
New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.
