'Did It Not Captivate?' The Reason a Two-Day Match Deserved Its Status as a Proper Test Match.

Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink ensemble performed in by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a success.

Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a middle ground, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are awful.

The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create literature or even the longest format.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format

The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.

The weather, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.

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

A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test

The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.

It must be stated this is not a justification of the wicket which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.

Allowing a thick layer on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.

A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket

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

The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.

The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the time devoted in other matches.

Adjustment: The True Test

Specific conditions are tolerated more easily than others.

The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from showcasing their talents.

This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the situation and adapting appropriately. The best individual scores were made by recognized stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited

Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.

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

There was belief as the bowlers dominated, momentum when the top order scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.

Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches

The venue has form with pitch problems. Previously, a game there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That match was a marathon, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be found in both.

Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.

"Far from being the demise of the format at all," observed a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."

Small Victories: Looking Ahead

In the build-up to this match, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.

The team protected him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.

Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.

Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.

As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the turf to commence their own celebrations.

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