'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a Two-Day Match Deserved Its Status as a Genuine Test.

Within a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of 100,024 spectators was considered a major hit.

You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are poor.

The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even the longest format.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.

The climate, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.

If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.

This is not a justification of the surface which produced a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.

Having excessive grass on the surface, resulting in a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.

A Diverse Legacy: 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, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.

The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the patience committed in other matches.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Certain variables are embraced more easily than others.

The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.

This level of cricket is about finding solutions – reading the situation and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View

Try telling the fans who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.

In one section of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.

There was optimism as the attack surged, momentum when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.

Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches

The venue has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That match was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are diametrically opposed points of the scale – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.

Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.

"It's not the demise of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been given some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."

Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope

In the lead-in to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The team responded for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.

Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a foundation to build on.

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

As the fans left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players gathered on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.

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