'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a Shortened Match Deserved Its Status as a Genuine Test Match.

Within a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a major hit.

You might not enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, admitting that some hits are belting while others are poor.

The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create music or even five-day cricket.

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 dependent on the environment.

The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.

If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.

A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.

It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.

Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.

A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket

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

The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.

The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time committed elsewhere.

Adaptation: The Core Skill

Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.

The debate in during the match was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.

Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and responding effectively. The best individual scores were made by world-class stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited

Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.

In a corner of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of sport.

There was optimism as the bowlers surged, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was confirmed.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.

That match was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet value can be attached to each.

At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.

"It's not the end of the long game at all," said a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."

Small Victories: Building for the Future

In the lead-in to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.

The players responded for him, bringing back the joy to his face.

Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.

In the end, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.

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

Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.