Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
You might not appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create music or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the time made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the attack dominated, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
