'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a Shortened Test Deserved Its Status as a Proper Cricket Test.

In a glass case on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink suit donned by the pop star. The show in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a triumph.

It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.

The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft music or even Test cricket.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game

The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.

The climate, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.

If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.

A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.

Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the pitch which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.

Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.

A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.

The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.

The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the patience committed elsewhere.

Problem Solving: The Real Challenge

Some factors are accepted more easily than others.

The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.

The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by world-class players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective

Try telling the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.

Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.

There was hope as the bowlers dominated, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.

That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – neither ideal, yet value can be ascribed to each.

At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.

"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

In the lead-in to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.

The players responded for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.

Different players performed with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to build on.

Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.

As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the turf to begin their own celebrations.

Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.