'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a 48-Hour Test Was No Less a Proper Cricket Test.

In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was seen as a success.

Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.

The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce music or even Test cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.

The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.

It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.

Having excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.

A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is mistaken.

Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.

The thrillers are even more exciting because of the investment devoted during quieter periods.

Adjustment: The Real Challenge

Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.

The argument in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.

Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.

Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View

Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.

There was hope as the bowlers surged, momentum when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet value can be found in them.

Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.

"This isn't the demise of the format at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."

Signs of Progress: Building for the Future

In the preparation to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.

The players responded for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his face.

Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.

In the end, this triumph is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.

As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the field to start their own enjoyment.

Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.