'Was That Not a Show?' Why a Shortened Match Was No Less a Proper Cricket Test.

In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit donned by the entertainer. The concert in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a success.

Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.

The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft art or even five-day cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

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

The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.

If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.

An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test

The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.

It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the contest.

Having a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between bat and ball.

A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is mistaken.

Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.

The close matches are even more exciting because of the investment committed during quieter periods.

Adaptation: The Real Challenge

Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.

The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.

This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and adapting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by recognized batters. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited

Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.

In one section of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.

There was belief as the attack surged, advantage when batters responded, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.

Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches

The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.

That contest was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – neither the standard, yet value can be attached to both.

At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.

"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."

Baby Steps: Building for the Future

In the build-up to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.

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

Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.

Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.

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

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