Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG sits a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a success.
You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.
It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.
A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.
The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.
The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the patience committed elsewhere.
Adaptation: The True Test
Some factors are accepted more easily than others.
The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the situation and adjusting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by world-class batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View
Try telling the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this was not entertaining.
In a corner of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the fielding side dominated, impetus when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.
Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.
That contest was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet value can be attached to both.
At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.
"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Looking Ahead
In the lead-in to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.
The team delivered for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.
Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win joins other notable performances in meaningless games.
As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players congregated on the field to start their own festivities.
Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.
