Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG is housed a electric pink outfit worn by the entertainer. The show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a triumph.
It's possible you appreciate his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.
The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting due to the time committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.
Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and responding appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by recognized stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to them.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.
"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The team protected him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the field to start their own enjoyment.
Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.
