Within a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink outfit worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even five-day cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which yielded a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the patience devoted during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Go and inform the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, advantage when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Different players performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
