Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG sits a neon pink outfit donned by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a triumph.
Perhaps you don't like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are poor.
The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft art or even Test cricket.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.
The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.
Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.
A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket
But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The close matches are particularly captivating due to the time made during quieter periods.
Adjustment: The True Test
Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.
The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.
The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.
Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.
In one section of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.
There was belief as the bowlers surged, impetus when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was secured.
Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.
That match was a grind, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be found in both.
Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.
"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.
The team protected him, reinstating the joy to his persona.
Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to build on.
In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the outfield to commence their own festivities.
Savour the moment, boys. It's well deserved.
