Within a showcase on the third floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink suit performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create music or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.
The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Having excessive grass on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment devoted elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.
The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and responding accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective
Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.
There was belief as the attack excelled, advantage when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither ideal, yet significance can be attached to both.
Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.
"It's not the death of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."
Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead
In the preparation to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.
The squad responded for him, restoring the joy to his persona.
New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.
Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.
