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

In a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink ensemble worn by the pop star. The performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a triumph.

It's possible you like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. You might take a middle ground, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.

The point being is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no one way to craft music or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game

The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.

The elements, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.

If the format is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.

A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

This is not a endorsement of the surface which produced a victory and the another short match of the contest.

Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is mistaken.

The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.

The thrillers are all the more thrilling due to the time made in other matches.

Adaptation: The Real Challenge

Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.

The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.

The format is about finding solutions – interpreting the conditions and adjusting accordingly. The two highest individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus lost.

Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View

Try telling the fans who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.

In one section of the ground, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of sport.

There was hope as the fielding side dominated, impetus when players fought back, and unconditional love when the win was secured.

Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The venue has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a pitch with the character of a a damp squib.

That match was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the range – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to each.

Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the collective consciousness.

"This isn't the end of Test cricket at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. A unique show."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

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

The players responded for him, reinstating the smile to his persona.

Emerging talents delivered with key contributions. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.

At the very least, this MCG win joins other historic performances in dead rubbers.

As the supporters slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.

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