Within a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a success.
Perhaps you don't like his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are awful.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.
The climate, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket
But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the investment committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.
The format is about problem solving – assessing the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In a corner of the MCG, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, impetus when the top order responded, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not perfect, yet significance can be found in each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the death of the format at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.
The team responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.
