'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a Two-Day Fixture Was No Less a Proper Test.

In a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a major hit.

Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.

The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even Test cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game

Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.

The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.

If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.

A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.

This is not a justification of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the series.

Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.

A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.

Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.

The close matches are particularly captivating because of the patience committed during quieter periods.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.

The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.

The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.

In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.

There was hope as the attack excelled, advantage when batters fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.

Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a non-event.

That match was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the scale – both are not the standard, yet value can be ascribed to both.

At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.

"Far from being the demise of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."

Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead

In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.

The players responded for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.

New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.

At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.

As the crowd slipped away into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the turf to commence their own celebrations.

Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.