In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink outfit worn by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a triumph.
You might not like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the surface which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the series.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting because of the patience committed elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adapting effectively. The best individual scores were made by world-class stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.
That match was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – both are not perfect, yet value can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of the format at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
Different players stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.
In the end, this triumph is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
