Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the MCG sits a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a triumph.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the patience made during quieter periods.
Problem Solving: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the attack excelled, impetus when players responded, and unconditional love when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the demise of the format at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.