'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a Shortened Test Was No Less a Proper Cricket Test.

In a glass case on the upper level of the MCG rests a electric pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of 100,024 attendees was seen as a success.

Perhaps you don't enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.

The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft literature or even five-day cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game

The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.

The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the pitch.

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

A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle

The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in an unusual manner.

This is not a defence of the surface which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the contest.

Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.

The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably 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 even more exciting owing to the investment devoted in other matches.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.

The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.

The format is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adjusting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.

Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited

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

In one section of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and chanted, producing a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.

There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, momentum when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.

Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That fixture was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in each.

Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the memory.

"This isn't the end of the format at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."

Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead

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

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

New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to develop from.

At the very least, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in meaningless games.

As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.

Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.