'Was That Not a Show?' Why a Two-Day Fixture Was No Less a Genuine Test Match.

In a showcase on the third floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a success.

You might not like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.

The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce music or even five-day cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.

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

If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.

A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match

The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

It must be stated this is not a justification of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.

Leaving a thick layer on the surface, causing numerous dismissals falling 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 notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.

The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.

The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the investment devoted elsewhere.

Adaptation: The Core Skill

Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.

The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.

Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited

Try telling the fans who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.

In one section of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of sport.

There was optimism as the attack surged, momentum when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.

Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches

The venue has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet value can be found in both.

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

"It's not the end of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."

Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope

In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.

The players protected him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.

New faces delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to develop from.

In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.

As the crowd departed into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the field to start their own enjoyment.

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