'Are You Not Entertained?' The Reason a Shortened Test Was No Less a Authentic Test.

In a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink suit performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a major hit.

Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a reasonable stance, admitting that some songs are belting while others are terrible.

The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create literature or even the longest format.

The Peerless Spectrum of Test Cricket

Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by external factors.

The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.

If the long game is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.

An Abstract Contest: The Melbourne Spectacle

The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.

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

Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.

Test cricket is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.

The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the patience made in other matches.

Problem Solving: The Real Challenge

Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.

The debate in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.

This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and responding effectively. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: The Supporters' View

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

In a corner of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, generating a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.

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

Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches

The venue has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to both.

At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.

"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some real entertainment. Different entertainment."

Baby Steps: Looking Ahead

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

The team delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.

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

Ultimately, this triumph is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the outfield to start their own festivities.

Enjoy the drink, men. It's well deserved.