Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to create music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which produced a win and the another short match of the series.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the patience made elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.
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 stadium, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the bowlers surged, impetus when players fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"This isn't the death of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
