'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a 48-Hour Test Deserved Its Status as a Proper Test Match.

Displayed inside a showcase on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink outfit donned by the entertainer. His show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a success.

You might not appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, admitting that some songs are excellent while others are poor.

The key argument is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to create music or even five-day cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon external factors.

The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.

If the format is a form of art, the pitch is the canvas on which the athletes craft their legacy.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle

The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reconstructed in abstract form.

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

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

A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as illegitimate, is incorrect.

The format is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and still growing. At times, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the pace bowlers. Sometimes, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it explodes.

The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling owing to the time made during quieter periods.

Problem Solving: The True Test

Some factors are accepted more freely than others.

The argument in during the match was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.

The format is about problem solving – reading the situation and adjusting appropriately. The best individual scores were made by recognized batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus were defeated.

Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective

Attempt to convince the fans who have endured a long drought that this was not entertaining.

Among the crowd of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.

There was belief as the bowlers excelled, momentum when players fought back, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.

Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches

The venue has previous experience with difficult wickets. In the past, a game there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That contest was a marathon, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.

Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.

"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 experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.

The squad protected him, restoring the smile to his persona.

Different players stepped up with vital performances. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to build on.

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

As the fans departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the field to begin their own festivities.

Celebrate the win, lads. It's well deserved.