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

Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink outfit worn by the entertainer. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a success.

It's possible you like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.

The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce art or even five-day cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.

The elements, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.

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

A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test

The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.

It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.

Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.

A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.

The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.

The exciting finishes are particularly captivating owing to the time committed in other matches.

Problem Solving: The Real Challenge

Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.

The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.

Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.

Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited

Try telling the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.

In one section of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.

There was hope as the attack excelled, impetus when the top order responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.

That match was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet significance can be found in each.

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

"This isn't the demise of the format at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."

Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope

In the lead-in to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.

The squad responded for him, restoring the smile to his face.

New faces performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but something to use as a platform.

At the very least, this triumph joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.

As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the field to start their own enjoyment.

Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.