'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a 48-Hour Test Remained Every Bit a Genuine Test.

Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the MCG is housed a electric pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of 100,024 attendees was considered a success.

You might not like Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.

The central idea is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is no one way to craft music or even Test cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game

The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.

The elements, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the wicket.

If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reassembled in a bizarre shape.

Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the contest.

Having a thick layer on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.

Test cricket is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.

The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the patience committed elsewhere.

Adjustment: The True Test

Some factors are embraced more easily than others.

The debate in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.

The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the wicket and adapting accordingly. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.

Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited

Go and inform the devotees who have endured a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

In one section of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of Australian cricket.

There was optimism as the bowlers surged, advantage when batters responded, and rapturous celebration when the win was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The MCG has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.

That contest was a slog, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more the standard, yet value can be ascribed to each.

Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.

"It's not the demise of Test cricket at all," commented a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."

Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his back.

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

Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to build on.

Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other historic performances in dead rubbers.

As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to commence their own enjoyment.

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