'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a Shortened Match Was No Less a Proper Test Match.

Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink suit performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a success.

Perhaps you don't like his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some songs are belting while others are awful.

The key argument is that entertainment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create art or even the longest format.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game

The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on conditions.

The climate, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.

If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.

A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.

Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.

Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.

A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket

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

The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. In contrast, 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 thrillers are even more exciting because of the time made in other matches.

Adaptation: The True Test

Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.

The contention in Melbourne 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 – interpreting the wicket and responding effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged players. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.

Pure Elation: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.

Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.

There was optimism as the attack dominated, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the win was confirmed.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The venue has a history with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a non-event.

That contest was a grind, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to each.

Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the history books.

"Far from being the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."

Small Victories: Looking Ahead

In the preparation to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

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

New faces stepped up with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.

In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in dead rubbers.

As the crowd left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the turf to commence their own celebrations.

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