Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink outfit worn by the entertainer. The show in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft art or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the patience made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and adapting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team responded for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the field to commence their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
