'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a Two-Day Fixture Was No Less a Genuine Test.

Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a success.

It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are excellent while others are awful.

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

The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game

The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.

The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.

If the format is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players create their art.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test

The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.

This is not a defence of the wicket which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.

Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.

Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.

The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the investment made in other matches.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Some factors are embraced more readily than others.

The argument in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.

The format is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by world-class players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.

Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View

Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.

In one section of the ground, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of sport.

There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, momentum when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.

Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches

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

That contest was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – neither the standard, yet value can be found in them.

At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.

"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," said a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."

Baby Steps: Building for the Future

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

The team responded for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.

New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.

Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.

As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.

Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.