'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a 48-Hour Fixture Was No Less a Proper Test.

Within a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. His show in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a major hit.

You might not appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are belting while others are awful.

The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to craft music or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket

The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.

The climate, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.

If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in abstract form.

Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which produced a win and the another short match of the contest.

Having a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.

The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.

The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the time committed during quieter periods.

Problem Solving: The Core Skill

Some factors are accepted more freely than others.

The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.

The format is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View

Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.

There was belief as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.

Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches

The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a a damp squib.

That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet value can be found in them.

Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.

"This isn't the death of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.

The team protected him, restoring the smile to his persona.

Different players delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to build on.

Ultimately, this triumph joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.

As the fans left into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the turf to commence their own celebrations.

Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.