'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a Two-Day Fixture Deserved Its Status as a Authentic Cricket Test.

Within a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a major hit.

Perhaps you don't like his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.

The point being is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create art or even the longest format.

The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket

Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon external factors.

The elements, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the wicket.

If the format is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the canvas on which the players create their art.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle

The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.

Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the second two-day Test of the series.

Leaving a thick layer on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.

The long game is a diverse canvas, a long history and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.

The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the time made in other matches.

Adjustment: The True Test

Some factors are accepted more readily than others.

The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were prevented from demonstrating their skill.

Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding appropriately. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited

Go and inform the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.

In one section of the stadium, a sea of people celebrated and chanted, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.

There was hope as the fielding side dominated, impetus when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.

Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.

That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the range – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be attached to them.

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

"Far from being the death of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."

Signs of Progress: Building for the Future

In the preparation to this match, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The players delivered for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.

Different players performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.

Ultimately, this MCG win joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.

As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the players assembled on the turf to commence their own celebrations.

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