'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a Two-Day Test Deserved Its Status as a Genuine Test Match.

Displayed inside a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a success.

You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are poor.

The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce art or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket

The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.

The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.

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

An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.

This is not a justification of the pitch which produced a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.

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

A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.

The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.

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

Problem Solving: The Core Skill

Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.

The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.

The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and responding appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.

Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

Among the crowd of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.

There was hope as the bowlers surged, impetus when players responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.

Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.

That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to both.

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

"Far from being the death of the format at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."

Signs of Progress: Building for the Future

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

The team delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his persona.

Different players performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to build on.

Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.

As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the outfield to commence their own festivities.

Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.