Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink ensemble donned by the pop star. The show in front of 100,024 fans was considered a success.
You might not appreciate his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.
The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create art or even Test cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.
The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reassembled in abstract form.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.
A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the patience made elsewhere.
Adaptation: The Real Challenge
Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Go and inform the fans who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the ground, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of sport.
There was belief as the fielding side excelled, momentum when batters fought back, and pure joy when the victory was secured.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to each.
At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.
"This isn't the end of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The team protected him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
Different players performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
In the end, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
