In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink suit donned by the pop star. The show in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a success.
It's possible you appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard 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 wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, momentum when players fought back, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a non-event.
That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.
"It's not the death of the format at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.
