'Was That Not a Show?' Why a 48-Hour Match Deserved Its Status as a Genuine Test Match.

Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit performed in by the pop star. His concert in front of 100,024 fans was considered a major hit.

You might not like Robbie Williams. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.

The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to craft music or even Test cricket.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format

The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the outcome is so reliant upon the environment.

The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.

If the format is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.

A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match

The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.

Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the wicket which produced a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.

Allowing excessive grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.

A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is incorrect.

Test cricket is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.

The thrillers are even more exciting due to the patience devoted elsewhere.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Specific conditions are embraced more freely than others.

The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.

This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adapting appropriately. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.

Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited

Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this wasn't compelling.

In a corner of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and chanted, producing a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.

There was hope as the attack surged, impetus when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.

Extreme Ends: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The venue has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a a damp squib.

That contest was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to each.

Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the memory.

"Far from being the demise of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."

Small Victories: Looking Ahead

In the build-up to this match, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.

The squad protected him, reinstating the joy to his face.

Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, hardly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.

Ultimately, this triumph is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.

As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the outfield to begin their own celebrations.

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