'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a Two-Day Fixture Deserved Its Status as a Proper Cricket Test.

Within a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink ensemble donned by the pop star. The show in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a major hit.

Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some hits are belting while others are awful.

The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft art or even the longest format.

The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game

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

The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.

If the format is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.

A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test

The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.

It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.

Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.

A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket

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

The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.

The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the time made during quieter periods.

Adaptation: The True Test

Specific conditions are accepted more easily than others.

The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from playing their natural game.

This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the wicket and adjusting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View

Attempt to convince the fans who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.

In a corner of the ground, thousands waved their flags and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.

There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.

That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to each.

Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.

"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.

The players protected him, restoring the smile to his countenance.

Different players delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.

In the end, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.

As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.

Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.