'Are You Not Entertained?' The Reason a Shortened Match Remained Every Bit a Genuine Test Match.

Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a success.

You might not appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.

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

The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format

Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on conditions.

The climate, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.

If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.

A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.

Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.

Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.

A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.

Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.

The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the time committed in other matches.

Problem Solving: The True Test

Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.

The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from demonstrating their skill.

The format is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and adapting effectively. The best individual scores were made by world-class stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.

Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited

Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.

In a corner of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.

There was hope as the fielding side dominated, impetus when players responded, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.

Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.

That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in each.

At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.

"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."

Small Victories: Looking Ahead

In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.

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

Different players performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.

At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in meaningless games.

As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the turf to commence their own celebrations.

Enjoy the drink, men. This victory was hard-fought.