In a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink suit worn by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a major hit.
You might not like his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a bastion of sport.
There was belief as the attack dominated, momentum when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet significance can be found in them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the turf to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
