In a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a major hit.
It's possible you enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are awful.
The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce literature or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.
The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players create their art.
A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.
Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.
The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the time devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from demonstrating their skill.
The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.
Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View
Try telling the devotees who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side dominated, momentum when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – neither ideal, yet value can be attached to each.
At this stage into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the death of the format at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.
New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.
At the very least, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.
