'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a 48-Hour Fixture Was No Less a Proper Cricket Test.

Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink outfit worn by the entertainer. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was hailed as a success.

Perhaps you don't appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.

The key argument is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.

The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket

The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.

The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.

If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players paint their masterpiece.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle

The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in abstract form.

Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.

Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket

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

The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.

The thrillers are even more exciting because of the time made during quieter periods.

Problem Solving: The Core Skill

Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.

The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.

Test cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual innings were made by world-class players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.

Pure Elation: The Supporters' View

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

In one section of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of sport.

There was belief as the fielding side surged, advantage when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was achieved.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has form with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That match was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet significance can be found in each.

Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the history books.

"Far from being the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."

Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead

In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.

The squad protected him, reinstating the joy to his persona.

New faces performed with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.

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

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

Celebrate the win, men. It's well deserved.