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

In a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a major hit.

Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music known to man. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some tracks are belting while others are poor.

The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce art or even the longest format.

The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket

The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.

The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.

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

A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle

The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.

Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another short match of the series.

Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.

The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.

The thrillers are particularly captivating owing to the patience made during quieter periods.

Adjustment: The True Test

Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.

The contention in at the MCG was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were hindered from playing their natural game.

The format is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding effectively. The top two individual innings were made by world-class batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.

Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

In a corner of the MCG, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.

There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, advantage when players responded, and pure joy when the win was achieved.

Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That fixture was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to both.

Four Tests into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.

"Far from being the demise of Test cricket at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."

Small Victories: Building for the Future

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

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

Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.

In the end, this triumph joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the turf to commence their own enjoyment.

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