'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a 48-Hour Test Was No Less a Genuine Test.

In a showcase on the third floor of the MCG sits a vibrant pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a triumph.

You might not appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are poor.

The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce literature or even Test cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket

Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.

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

If Test cricket is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.

A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle

The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.

Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.

Leaving a thick layer on the surface, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.

A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket

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

The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.

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

Problem Solving: The True Test

Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.

The argument in at the MCG 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 adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited

Go and inform the fans who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.

In a corner of the MCG, thousands made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.

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

Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches

The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – neither ideal, yet value can be ascribed to both.

Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.

"Far from being the death of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."

Baby Steps: Building for the Future

In the lead-in to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.

The team delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.

New faces performed with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to develop from.

In the end, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.

As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the turf to begin their own celebrations.

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