'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a Shortened Test Was No Less a Proper Test Match.

Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink outfit donned by the pop star. His show in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a success.

You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are terrible.

The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce music or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game

The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.

The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.

If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.

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

Allowing 10mm of grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.

The format is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.

The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the time committed during quieter periods.

Adaptation: The Core Skill

Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.

The argument in at the MCG was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from showcasing their talents.

Test cricket is about finding solutions – reading the conditions and adapting accordingly. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective

Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

In one section of the ground, a sea of people made noise and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a heartland of sport.

There was optimism as the fielding side surged, impetus when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet significance can be attached to each.

At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.

"Far from being the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."

Signs of Progress: Building for the Future

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

The team responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his persona.

Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.

In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other memorable performances in dead rubbers.

As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the turf to begin their own celebrations.

Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.