'Was That Not a Show?' Why a Two-Day Match Deserved Its Status as a Proper Test Match.

In a glass case on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was seen as a major hit.

You might not appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.

The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce music or even five-day cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game

The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dictated by conditions.

The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.

If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

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

It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.

Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.

A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket

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

Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.

The thrillers are all the more thrilling because of the time made elsewhere.

Problem Solving: The Core Skill

Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.

The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.

Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.

Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited

Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

In one section of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.

There was belief as the bowlers surged, momentum when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.

Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The venue has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.

That match was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the scale – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be found in them.

Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the collective consciousness.

"Far from being the death of the format at all," said a past champion. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."

Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead

In the lead-in to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.

The players responded for him, bringing back the joy to his face.

New faces performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.

At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the field to commence their own festivities.

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