In a glass case on the upper level of the MCG sits a neon pink suit donned by the entertainer. The concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a triumph.
You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft music or even five-day cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game
The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.
The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another short match of the contest.
Having excessive grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.
The long game is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the patience made in other matches.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by recognized stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, momentum when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither the standard, yet value can be found in each.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"Far from being the end of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the build-up to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.
The players responded for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
