In a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink outfit donned by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a success.
You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are belting while others are poor.
The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create music or even Test cricket.
The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.
The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.
If the format is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.
An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.
This is not a justification of the wicket which yielded a win and the another short match of the series.
Allowing excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the patience made in other matches.
Adaptation: The True Test
Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.
The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adapting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands made noise and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack surged, momentum when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.
At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."
Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope
In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.
The players responded for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.
Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the turf to start their own enjoyment.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
