Within a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink suit donned by the entertainer. The concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a major hit.
You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which yielded a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the investment made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and responding accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by recognized players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers surged, advantage when players responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the field to begin their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
