In a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG is housed a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His show in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a success.
You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce literature or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.
It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience devoted in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: The Supporters' View
Try telling the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side surged, impetus when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither ideal, 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 history books.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his persona.
New faces delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to develop from.
In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the players congregated on the outfield to begin their own festivities.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
