In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink ensemble donned by the pop star. The performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.
It's possible you like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.
The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce music or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the investment made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, impetus when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.
Different players delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the turf to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.
