'Are You Not Entertained?' The Reason a Shortened Fixture Remained Every Bit a Genuine Test.

Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a triumph.

You might not enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.

The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce literature or even the longest format.

The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket

The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.

The elements, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.

If Test cricket is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.

A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.

It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which yielded a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.

Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.

The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.

The close matches are even more exciting due to the investment devoted during quieter periods.

Adjustment: The Real Challenge

Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.

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

Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by world-class stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: The Supporters' View

Try telling the fans who have endured 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.

Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.

There was optimism as the bowlers excelled, momentum when the top order responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.

Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches

The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be ascribed to each.

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

"Far from being the death of Test cricket at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."

Small Victories: Looking Ahead

In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.

The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.

Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.

In the end, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in meaningless games.

As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad gathered on the turf to begin their own celebrations.

Enjoy the drink, boys. This victory was hard-fought.