'Was That Not a Show?' Why a Two-Day Match Was No Less a Proper Test.

Displayed inside a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a major hit.

Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.

The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create literature or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.

The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.

If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players create their art.

An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle

The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.

Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.

Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.

A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.

Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.

The close matches are particularly captivating due to the investment devoted during quieter periods.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.

The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from showcasing their talents.

The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective

Try telling the supporters who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.

Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.

There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, advantage when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.

Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches

The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.

That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.

Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.

"Far from being the demise of the format at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."

Small Victories: Building for the Future

In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.

The players responded for him, bringing back the smile to his persona.

New faces performed with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.

Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.

As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the field to start their own festivities.

Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.