Within a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink suit donned by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a triumph.
You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a defence of the surface which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the investment committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.
There was belief as the bowlers dominated, advantage when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.
That contest was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet significance can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.
"It's not the end of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.
New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the field to start their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.
