'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a 48-Hour Match Was No Less a Proper Test Match.

In a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink outfit worn by the pop star. The concert in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a major hit.

It's possible you enjoy Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some songs are belting while others are poor.

The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create art or even the longest format.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by the environment.

The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.

If the long game is art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

This is not a justification of the wicket which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.

Leaving excessive grass on the pitch, leading to 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.

A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be qualified as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.

The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.

The thrillers are particularly captivating because of the time committed in other matches.

Adjustment: The Real Challenge

Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.

The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.

This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by acknowledged batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus lost.

Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited

Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.

In one section of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and chanted, producing a party atmosphere in a heartland of Australian cricket.

There was optimism as the attack dominated, impetus when players fought back, and pure joy when the result was achieved.

Extreme Ends: The Variety of Test Matches

The Melbourne has previous experience with pitch problems. Previously, a match there featured a pitch 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 extreme ends of the scale – both are not the standard, yet value can be found in them.

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

"Far from being the end of the long game at all," commented a past champion. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."

Small Victories: Building for the Future

In the preparation to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.

The team protected him, restoring the joy to his persona.

Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.

Ultimately, this triumph joins other notable performances in meaningless games.

As the fans departed into a beautiful night, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own enjoyment.

Savour the moment, men. It's well deserved.