'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a Shortened Test Was No Less a Authentic Test.

Within a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a neon pink outfit donned by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a major hit.

It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are fantastic while others are poor.

The point being is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create art or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by the environment.

The elements, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the players create their art.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.

Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another short match of the series.

Having excessive grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.

A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket

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

The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.

The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the time made in other matches.

Problem Solving: The Core Skill

Certain variables are tolerated more freely than others.

The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from demonstrating their skill.

Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and adapting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by recognized players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View

Try telling the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.

Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.

There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, momentum when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the win was secured.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

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

That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to each.

Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.

"This isn't the end of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."

Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope

In the build-up to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.

The players delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.

Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to build on.

At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.

As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.

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