'Was That Not a Show?' Why a Shortened Fixture Deserved Its Status as a Authentic Test.

In a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG rests a neon pink outfit donned by the entertainer. His concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a triumph.

You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are belting while others are poor.

The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is not a single method to create music or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.

The elements, the time of day, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.

If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.

A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle

The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.

It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which produced a win and the another short match of the contest.

Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.

The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.

The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the investment committed elsewhere.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.

The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were unable from demonstrating their skill.

This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the situation and responding appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective

Try telling the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.

Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.

There was belief as the bowlers dominated, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.

Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That contest was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither ideal, yet significance can be found in both.

Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.

"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."

Signs of Progress: Building for the Future

In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.

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

New faces delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to build on.

At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.

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