'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a Two-Day Fixture Remained Every Bit a Proper Test.

Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG rests a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a success.

It's possible you appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.

The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even five-day cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game

Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon conditions.

The elements, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.

If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.

It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.

Having excessive grass on the surface, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.

A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.

The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.

The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the patience committed during quieter periods.

Problem Solving: The True Test

Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.

The argument in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were unable from playing their natural game.

This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.

Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective

Go and inform the fans who have endured a long drought that this wasn't compelling.

In a corner of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.

There was hope as the fielding side dominated, momentum when batters responded, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.

Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That match was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be found in each.

Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the collective consciousness.

"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."

Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.

The players delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his persona.

New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.

Ultimately, this MCG win joins other notable performances in dead rubbers.

As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.

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