Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. The performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the patience made during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in during the match was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and adapting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the attack excelled, momentum when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not the standard, yet significance can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"Far from being the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, men. You've earned this one.
