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

Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink ensemble donned by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a triumph.

Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are terrible.

The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game

The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.

The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.

If the long game is art, the strip is the blank slate on which the athletes craft their legacy.

A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test

The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.

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

Leaving a thick layer on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.

A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket

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

The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.

The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment devoted elsewhere.

Adaptation: The True Test

Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.

The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.

Test cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and adjusting effectively. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One side made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited

Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.

In a corner of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of sport.

There was optimism as the attack dominated, advantage when the top order responded, and pure joy when the victory 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 all the life of a a damp squib.

That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet historical weight can be attached to both.

Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the memory.

"Far from being the demise of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

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

The players delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his face.

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

Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.

As the crowd left into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the outfield to commence their own festivities.

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