'Are You Not Entertained?' The Reason a Two-Day Test Deserved Its Status as a Proper Cricket Test.

Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a vibrant pink suit donned by the pop star. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was considered a triumph.

It's possible you appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.

The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to craft music or even Test cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by the environment.

The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the playing surface.

If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.

Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the contest.

Leaving 10mm of grass on the pitch, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.

A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket

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

Test cricket is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it bounces unevenly.

The exciting finishes are particularly captivating because of the patience made in other matches.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Certain variables are embraced more readily than others.

The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.

The format is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and responding effectively. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Unbridled Joy: The Supporters' View

Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.

Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans made noise and chanted, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.

There was belief as the bowlers excelled, impetus when players responded, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.

Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches

The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.

That fixture was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – neither ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.

At this stage into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.

"It's not the demise of the format at all," observed a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. Different entertainment."

Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.

The squad delivered for him, restoring the joy to his face.

Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.

At the very least, this Melbourne victory joins other notable performances in meaningless games.

As the fans left into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the turf to begin their own festivities.

Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.