'Did It Not Captivate?' The Reason a Shortened Fixture Deserved Its Status as a Proper Test.

Within a glass case on the third floor of the MCG rests a neon pink ensemble donned by the pop star. The performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a triumph.

Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.

The point being is that amusement can be delivered diversely. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create music or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game

The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.

The climate, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the playing surface.

If Test cricket is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test

The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.

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

Having a thick layer on the surface, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.

A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.

The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.

The exciting finishes are even more exciting due to the investment made during quieter periods.

Problem Solving: The True Test

Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.

The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.

The format is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and responding effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.

Pure Elation: The Supporters' View

Try telling the supporters who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands made noise and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.

There was belief as the attack dominated, advantage when players responded, and unconditional love when the victory was achieved.

Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches

The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.

That match was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.

Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.

"It's not the demise of the format at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.

The squad protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.

Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.

In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in meaningless games.

As the fans left into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the field to start their own enjoyment.

Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.