'Are You Not Entertained?' The Reason a Two-Day Fixture Remained Every Bit a Genuine Test Match.

Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a electric pink suit performed in by the pop star. The show in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a major hit.

You might not like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are poor.

The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft art or even the longest format.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game

The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.

The climate, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.

If the long game is a form of art, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players create their art.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.

It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.

Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.

A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is mistaken.

The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.

The thrillers are even more exciting because of the investment devoted during quieter periods.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Some factors are embraced more easily than others.

The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.

This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and responding appropriately. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.

Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited

Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.

Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.

There was optimism as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.

Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches

The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.

That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither ideal, yet value can be ascribed to them.

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

"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

In the build-up to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.

The squad responded for him, restoring the joy to his countenance.

Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to use as a platform.

Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in similar circumstances.

As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the players gathered on the field to start their own celebrations.

Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.