Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit donned by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a success.
It's possible you like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format
The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.
If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.
The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the investment made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adapting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans made noise and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.
There was hope as the attack surged, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more 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 memory.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team responded for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but something to build on.
In the end, this triumph is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the field to start their own celebrations.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
