In a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink outfit donned by the pop star. The performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a triumph.
You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are belting while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce art or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting because of the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adaptation: The True Test
Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and adapting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective
Go and inform the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, impetus when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be attached to them.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The team responded for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. It's well deserved.
