In a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink outfit worn by the entertainer. The performance in front of 100,024 fans was considered a success.
It's possible you like the performer. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are poor.
The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce art or even five-day cricket.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.
The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.
If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.
Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the contest.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.
A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the time devoted elsewhere.
Adjustment: The Core Skill
Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and responding appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
Among the crowd of the ground, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a heartland of sport.
There was hope as the fielding side excelled, advantage when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.
Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches
The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That match was a slog, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet value can be ascribed to both.
Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.
"It's not the end of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."
Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.
The players protected him, bringing back the joy to his face.
Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to build on.
In the end, this triumph is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.
As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the field to begin their own celebrations.
Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.
