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

Within a showcase on the upper level of the MCG sits a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a triumph.

It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are belting while others are terrible.

The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce art or even the longest format.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format

The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.

The elements, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.

If the long game is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players craft their legacy.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.

This is not a justification of the surface which yielded a win and the another short match of the series.

Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket

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

The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.

The close matches are even more exciting owing to the patience committed elsewhere.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.

The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.

Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and adjusting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.

Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.

Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe 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 achieved.

Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a a damp squib.

That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be attached to them.

Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.

"It's not the demise of the long game at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

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

The team delivered for him, restoring the smile to his face.

Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.

In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.

Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.