In a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink outfit worn by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a success.
It's possible you like his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are fantastic while others are terrible.
The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft literature or even the longest format.
The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game
The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.
The climate, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.
If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.
A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test
The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.
Having 10mm of grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.
The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.
The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time committed in other matches.
Adjustment: The True Test
Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.
The contention in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.
This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.
Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited
Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, thousands made noise and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of national pride.
There was optimism as the attack surged, advantage when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was secured.
Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches
The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to both.
Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.
"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope
In the build-up to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.
New faces performed with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.
At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.
Celebrate the win, lads. You've earned this one.
