'Did It Not Captivate?' The Reason a 48-Hour Match Was No Less a Authentic Test Match.

In a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG sits a neon pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. The concert in front of a massive crowd of fans 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 middle ground, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are poor.

The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to create literature or even five-day cricket.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game

The traditional format boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.

The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the list is endless. Above all is the playing surface.

If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.

A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match

The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.

Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.

Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.

Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.

The close matches are even more exciting due to the patience devoted elsewhere.

Problem Solving: The Real Challenge

Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.

The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.

This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the devotees who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.

In one section of the ground, a sea of people celebrated and sang their songs, producing a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.

There was optimism as the attack excelled, momentum when players fought back, and pure joy when the result was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The Melbourne has a history with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.

That contest was a slog, with few wickets and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – neither ideal, yet significance can be found in them.

Four Tests into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.

"It's not the end of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "The people who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."

Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope

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

The squad delivered for him, restoring the smile to his persona.

Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.

At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.

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

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