Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the investment devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Some factors are embraced more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the fans who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the attack dominated, momentum when the top order responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety 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 damp squib.
That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet significance can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the demise of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the joy to his face.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the field to start their own festivities.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
