'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a 48-Hour Match Remained Every Bit a Proper Test Match.

Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink outfit worn by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a major hit.

It's possible you appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a middle ground, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are poor.

The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create music or even the longest format.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game

The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.

The elements, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the wicket.

If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers craft their legacy.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.

It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which produced a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.

Leaving a thick layer on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals being taken in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.

A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket

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

The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.

The exciting finishes are even more exciting owing to the time devoted in other matches.

Adjustment: The True Test

Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.

The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.

This level of cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by recognized stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective

Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.

In a corner of the MCG, thousands waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.

There was belief as the bowlers dominated, impetus when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The Melbourne has form with difficult wickets. Previously, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a a non-event.

That match was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.

Four Tests into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the memory.

"This isn't the death of the long game at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."

Small Victories: Looking Ahead

In the preparation to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.

The players delivered for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.

Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.

At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.

As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.

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