'Are You Not Entertained?' The Reason a Two-Day Fixture Was No Less a Authentic Test Match.

Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the MCG sits a neon pink outfit worn by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a triumph.

Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.

The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce art or even five-day cricket.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format

The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on the environment.

The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.

If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players create their art.

An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle

The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.

Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.

Leaving 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.

A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.

The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.

The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the time devoted in other matches.

Problem Solving: The Real Challenge

Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.

The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.

Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and responding appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.

In one section of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.

There was hope as the bowlers surged, advantage when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The venue has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.

That match was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – both are not ideal, yet significance can be attached to them.

At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.

"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."

Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead

In the build-up to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.

The team responded for him, restoring the smile to his persona.

Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.

At the very least, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.

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

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