'Was That Not a Show?' Why a Two-Day Test Was No Less a Proper Test.

Within a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of 100,024 spectators was seen as a triumph.

Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are belting while others are awful.

The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft literature or even the longest format.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.

The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.

If the format is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.

This is not a endorsement of the pitch which resulted in a triumph and the second two-day Test of the contest.

Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.

A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.

The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.

The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the investment made in other matches.

Problem Solving: The Real Challenge

Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.

The argument in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.

Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and responding effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by recognized batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective

Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.

Among the crowd of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a heartland of sport.

There was optimism as the bowlers surged, momentum when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.

Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.

That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to them.

Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.

"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."

Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope

In the build-up to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his mind.

The team delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his face.

Different players performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a foundation to build on.

At the very least, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.

As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the outfield to start their own festivities.

Savour the moment, boys. You've earned this one.