'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a Two-Day Test Was No Less a Authentic Cricket Test.

Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was hailed as a success.

You might not enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are poor.

The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create literature or even the longest format.

The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket

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

The weather, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.

If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.

A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.

Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.

Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.

A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.

Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.

The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the patience made in other matches.

Adaptation: The Core Skill

Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.

The argument in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.

Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class players. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.

Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective

Try telling the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.

In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.

There was optimism as the attack surged, impetus when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was achieved.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.

That contest was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be found in each.

Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.

"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."

Baby Steps: Looking Ahead

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

The team delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.

Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.

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

As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the field to begin their own festivities.

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