'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a Shortened Fixture Remained Every Bit a Proper Test.

Displayed inside a display cabinet on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. The show in front of 100,024 fans was seen as a success.

It's possible you like the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.

The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even Test cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.

The climate, the session, the red ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.

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

An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test

The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the contest.

Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.

A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket

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

The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.

The thrillers are even more exciting owing to the time made in other matches.

Adaptation: The Real Challenge

Specific conditions are tolerated more readily than others.

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

The format is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and responding accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by world-class players. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.

Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View

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

In a corner of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.

There was belief as the bowlers dominated, impetus when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.

Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches

The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with the character of a a damp squib.

That fixture was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – both are not ideal, yet value can be attached to both.

At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.

"Far from being the death of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."

Signs of Progress: Building for the Future

In the build-up to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.

The squad delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his face.

Emerging talents stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.

In the end, this Melbourne victory is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.

As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.

Savour the moment, men. This victory was hard-fought.