Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink suit donned by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a success.
It's possible you like his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce music or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.
If the long game is art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.
Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience committed during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The Real Challenge
Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the devotees who have endured 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.
In one section of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was optimism as the fielding side dominated, impetus when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet significance can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the lead-in to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The players delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to build on.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.
As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.
