'Was That Not a Show?' Why a Shortened Match Deserved Its Status as a Authentic Cricket Test.

Within a glass case on the third floor of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a success.

Perhaps you don't like his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some hits are belting while others are awful.

The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game

Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.

The weather, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the players create their art.

A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test

The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which produced a triumph and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.

Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not an even battle between offense and defense.

A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is incorrect.

The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.

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

Problem Solving: The True Test

Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.

The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.

This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.

Pure Elation: The Supporters' View

Try telling the fans who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.

In one section of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.

There was belief as the fielding side dominated, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The Melbourne has a history with controversial surfaces. In the past, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be ascribed to both.

Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.

"Far from being the end of the format at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.

The players delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.

Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.

In the end, this MCG win is added to other memorable performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the field to start their own festivities.

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