'Did It Not Captivate?' The Reason a 48-Hour Test Deserved Its Status as a Genuine Cricket Test.

Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a major hit.

Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are awful.

The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft literature or even five-day cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game

Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.

The weather, the time of day, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.

A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match

The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.

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

Leaving excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.

A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.

The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.

The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the time committed during quieter periods.

Problem Solving: The True Test

Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.

The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.

The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adapting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.

Pure Elation: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the devotees who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.

In one section of the stadium, a sea of people made noise and chanted, generating a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.

There was hope as the fielding side excelled, impetus when players responded, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The Melbourne has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That contest was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.

Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.

"It's not the death of Test cricket at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."

Baby Steps: Looking Ahead

In the preparation to this match, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.

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

New faces delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.

In the end, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.

As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the field to start their own festivities.

Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.