'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a Two-Day Fixture Was No Less a Proper Test.

In a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG rests a neon pink ensemble donned by the pop star. The concert in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a major hit.

You might not enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.

The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft music or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game

The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.

The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.

If the format is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the cricketers create their art.

An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle

The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

This is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a win and the another short match of the series.

Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.

A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket

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

Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.

The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling due to the time made during quieter periods.

Problem Solving: The True Test

Some factors are accepted more readily than others.

The debate in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.

The format is about finding solutions – reading the wicket and adapting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.

Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective

Try telling the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.

Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a festive mood in a bastion of sport.

There was hope as the bowlers dominated, momentum when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches

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

That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – both are not perfect, yet value can be attached to each.

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

"This isn't the demise of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."

Baby Steps: Building for the Future

In the build-up to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.

The team protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.

Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to develop from.

In the end, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.

As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.

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