Within a glass case on the upper level of the MCG rests a vibrant pink outfit donned by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a triumph.
You might not appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time committed in other matches.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and responding accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective
Try telling the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.
There was belief as the attack surged, impetus when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet significance can be attached to them.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.
At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
