Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and responding accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by world-class batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the ground, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack dominated, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the death of the format at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.
