'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a 48-Hour Test Was No Less a Genuine Cricket Test.

Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink ensemble donned by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was seen as a triumph.

Perhaps you don't enjoy his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some hits are excellent while others are awful.

The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to create art or even five-day cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon the environment.

The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.

If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players craft their legacy.

A Test of Cubism: The Fourth Test

The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.

This is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.

Having excessive grass on the wicket, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.

A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket

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

The long game is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. At times, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.

The thrillers are even more exciting due to the investment committed in other matches.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Some factors are tolerated more freely than others.

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

This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adapting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.

Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited

Go and inform the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.

In one section of the MCG, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, generating a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.

There was hope as the bowlers dominated, momentum when players scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was achieved.

Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The MCG has a history with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not ideal, yet historical weight can be found in them.

Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will remain iconic in the history books.

"This isn't the end of the format at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."

Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this Test, the skipper talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.

The players responded for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.

Different players delivered with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but something to develop from.

In the end, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.

As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the turf to commence their own celebrations.

Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.