'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a Two-Day Match Remained Every Bit a Genuine Cricket Test.

Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a electric pink outfit worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a triumph.

You might not enjoy his music. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are awful.

The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce literature or even Test cricket.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game

The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.

The weather, the hour of play, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the pitch.

If the format is art, the pitch is the foundation on which the players create their art.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.

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

Having a thick layer on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.

A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.

The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and ongoing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.

The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the investment made elsewhere.

Adjustment: The True Test

Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.

The contention in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.

Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adapting accordingly. The best individual scores were made by world-class stars. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.

Pure Elation: The Supporters' View

Try telling the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this was not entertaining.

In a corner of the stadium, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.

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

Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a a non-event.

That contest was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be ascribed to them.

Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.

"Far from being the death of the long game at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."

Small Victories: Building for the Future

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

The team protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.

New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to build on.

In the end, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.

As the fans departed into a stunning sunset, the squad congregated on the outfield to commence their own enjoyment.

Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.