'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a Two-Day Fixture Remained Every Bit a Genuine Test.

Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. The concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a success.

You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.

The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even the longest format.

The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket

The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.

The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.

If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test

The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.

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

Allowing a thick layer on the surface, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket

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

The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.

The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the time devoted during quieter periods.

Adaptation: The Real Challenge

Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.

The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.

This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and responding accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.

Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited

Try telling the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

Among the crowd of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.

There was optimism as the attack surged, impetus when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.

Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.

That match was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not perfect, yet value can be ascribed to both.

Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.

"This isn't the death of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."

Baby Steps: Building for the Future

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

The players protected him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.

Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a foundation to use as a platform.

At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.

As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the outfield to start their own celebrations.

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