Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink outfit worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.
The elements, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the format is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.
The long game is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the time committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and adapting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, advantage when players fought back, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – both are not ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Small Victories: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
