'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a Shortened Fixture Deserved Its Status as a Genuine Cricket Test.

Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink suit performed in by the entertainer. The show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a major hit.

It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.

The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce music or even Test cricket.

The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket

The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on the environment.

The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.

If Test cricket 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 Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.

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 Ashes battle.

Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.

A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.

The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.

The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the time devoted elsewhere.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Some factors are accepted more freely than others.

The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.

Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and responding effectively. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.

Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the devotees who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.

In a corner of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.

There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players fought back, and pure joy when the win was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.

That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to them.

Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the memory.

"Far from being the end of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."

Small Victories: Looking Ahead

In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.

The team delivered for him, restoring the smile to his persona.

New faces performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term stability, but something to develop from.

Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the field to start their own enjoyment.

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