'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a Two-Day Test Deserved Its Status as a Authentic Test Match.

In a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. His show in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a triumph.

You might not like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some hits are belting while others are poor.

The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce art or even five-day cricket.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format

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

The climate, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.

If the format is art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.

A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match

The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

This is not a defence of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.

Allowing 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.

A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.

Test cricket is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.

The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the investment committed in other matches.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.

The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.

The format is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged players. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.

Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View

Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.

In a corner of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.

There was belief as the bowlers excelled, impetus when the top order fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was confirmed.

Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That match was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – neither perfect, yet significance can be found in them.

Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.

"It's not the end of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."

Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope

In the build-up to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.

The team protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.

Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.

In the end, this MCG win joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.

As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the team congregated on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.

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