'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a 48-Hour Fixture Deserved Its Status as a Authentic Cricket Test.

Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink ensemble donned by the pop star. His show in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a triumph.

You might not like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are awful.

The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even five-day cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket

The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.

The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.

If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.

An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle

The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.

This is not a justification of the wicket which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.

Having excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.

A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.

The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.

The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the time made elsewhere.

Adjustment: The Real Challenge

Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.

The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.

The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class players. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.

In one section of the ground, thousands made noise and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.

There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.

That fixture was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet value can be found in both.

Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.

"This isn't the end of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."

Baby Steps: Building for the Future

In the preparation to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.

The team protected him, bringing back the joy to his face.

Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.

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

As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.

Savour the moment, lads. This victory was hard-fought.