'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a Shortened Fixture Remained Every Bit a Proper Test.

Within a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink outfit performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of 100,024 fans was considered a major hit.

You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, conceding that some hits are excellent while others are awful.

The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft literature or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.

The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.

If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.

A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle

The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.

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

Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.

Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.

The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the time committed during quieter periods.

Adjustment: The True Test

Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.

The argument in during the match was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were hindered from showcasing their talents.

This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adapting appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by recognized batters. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.

Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.

There was hope as the attack excelled, advantage when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.

Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches

The Melbourne has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the range – neither ideal, yet value can be ascribed to both.

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

"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."

Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead

In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.

The team responded for him, restoring the smile to his countenance.

New faces performed with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.

Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the squad assembled on the outfield to begin their own festivities.

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