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

Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink suit worn by the entertainer. The show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was seen as a success.

It's possible you like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.

The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create music or even the longest format.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.

The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.

If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.

A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which yielded a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.

Having excessive grass on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.

A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.

The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.

The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the patience made during quieter periods.

Adaptation: The True Test

Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.

The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.

The format is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.

Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View

Try telling the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.

In a corner of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.

There was hope as the bowlers excelled, impetus when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.

Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.

That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to each.

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

"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.

The players delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.

Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.

In the end, this triumph is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.

As the supporters left into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the field to begin their own enjoyment.

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