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

In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a vibrant pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The show in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a triumph.

Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are belting while others are terrible.

The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to produce literature or even the longest format.

The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game

The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.

The elements, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the pitch.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle

The recent Melbourne match between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.

It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which resulted in a win and the another short match of the contest.

Having a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.

A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.

Test cricket is a rich tapestry, a long history and still growing. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.

The exciting finishes are even more exciting because of the time made during quieter periods.

Adaptation: The Core Skill

Some factors are tolerated more readily than others.

The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.

The format is about adapting to challenges – assessing the wicket and adapting appropriately. The two highest individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.

Pure Elation: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the devotees who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.

In one section of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a bastion of Australian cricket.

There was optimism as the bowlers surged, impetus when players fought back, and unconditional love when the win was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The Melbourne has previous experience with difficult wickets. Previously, a game there featured a strip with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That contest was a grind, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet value can be attached to both.

At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will live longest in the memory.

"This isn't the death of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."

Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope

In the build-up to this match, the skipper talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The team responded for him, restoring the joy to his persona.

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

Ultimately, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in similar circumstances.

As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the players assembled on the field to commence their own celebrations.

Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.