'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a Two-Day Fixture Remained Every Bit a Authentic Test Match.

Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink outfit donned by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a major hit.

It's possible you like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.

The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft music or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game

The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.

The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the players create their art.

A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match

The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.

Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.

Having a thick layer on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.

A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.

Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.

The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment devoted elsewhere.

Adaptation: The True Test

Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.

The contention in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.

The format is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by recognized stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View

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

In a corner of the ground, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.

There was belief as the fielding side surged, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.

Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches

The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That contest was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to both.

Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.

"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."

Signs of Progress: Building for the Future

In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.

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

Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to develop from.

At the very least, this triumph joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.

As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to start their own festivities.

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