In a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink suit worn by the pop star. His performance in front of 100,024 attendees was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't like his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce music or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which yielded a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the patience made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, impetus when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be found in each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: Building for the Future
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team responded for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the turf to begin their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
