'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a Two-Day Match Remained Every Bit a Genuine Test.

Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink outfit performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of 100,024 fans was considered a success.

Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are excellent while others are terrible.

The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to craft art or even five-day cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game

The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.

The climate, the session, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the playing surface.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the players create their art.

A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test

The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the great game taken to pieces and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

This is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.

Leaving excessive grass on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.

A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.

The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and counting. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.

The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the patience devoted in other matches.

Adaptation: The Real Challenge

Specific conditions are accepted more freely than others.

The contention in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from showcasing their talents.

Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The best individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited

Go and inform the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this was not entertaining.

In one section of the stadium, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.

There was hope as the fielding side surged, advantage when players responded, and pure joy when the result was achieved.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has form with pitch problems. In the past, a match there featured a pitch with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That match was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be found in each.

At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.

"Far from being the end of the long game at all," said a veteran. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. Different entertainment."

Baby Steps: Looking Ahead

In the lead-in to this match, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.

The players protected him, bringing back the smile to his persona.

New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.

Ultimately, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.

As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team gathered on the outfield to commence their own festivities.

Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.