'Was That Not a Show?' Why a Shortened Match Remained Every Bit a Proper Test Match.

Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a triumph.

You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are terrible.

The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce music or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.

The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.

If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.

It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which produced a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.

Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.

A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.

The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.

The close matches are even more exciting because of the time made elsewhere.

Problem Solving: The Real Challenge

Some factors are accepted more easily than others.

The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were unable from showcasing their talents.

Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and adapting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View

Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.

In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.

There was optimism as the attack surged, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.

Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.

That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in them.

Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.

"It's not the demise of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."

Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope

In the lead-in to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.

The squad responded for him, restoring the joy to his persona.

Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to build on.

Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.

As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the field to start their own festivities.

Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.