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

In a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG rests a neon pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of 100,024 spectators was hailed as a success.

Perhaps you don't like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.

The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even the longest format.

The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket

The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.

The climate, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Most important 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 Fourth Test

The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.

It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another short match of the contest.

Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is mistaken.

Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.

The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the patience made during quieter periods.

Problem Solving: The Real Challenge

Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.

The contention in during the match was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.

The format is about problem solving – assessing the conditions and responding appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.

Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited

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

In one section of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.

There was hope as the fielding side surged, momentum when players fought back, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.

Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The venue has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.

That contest was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet value can be found in them.

Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the memory.

"It's not the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."

Baby Steps: Looking Ahead

In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.

The squad delivered for him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.

Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.

In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.

As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the outfield to start their own celebrations.

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