'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a Two-Day Match Deserved Its Status as a Authentic Cricket Test.

Within a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a major hit.

You might not like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.

The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce art or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game

The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by conditions.

The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.

If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test

The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.

Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.

Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.

A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.

The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.

The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time devoted in other matches.

Problem Solving: The True Test

Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.

The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.

Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and responding appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the fans who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.

In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.

There was belief as the bowlers dominated, advantage when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.

Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches

The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.

That contest was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – both are not perfect, yet significance can be attached to each.

At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.

"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."

Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope

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

The players protected him, restoring the smile to his countenance.

New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.

In the end, this MCG win joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the outfield to begin their own enjoyment.

Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.