'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a 48-Hour Match Was No Less a Proper Test.

In a showcase on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink suit donned by the pop star. His show in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a success.

It's possible you appreciate his music. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, conceding that some songs are belting while others are awful.

The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to produce art or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Long Game

Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.

The elements, the session, the ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the pitch.

If Test cricket is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test

The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.

Let's be clear, this isn't a defence of the surface which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the Ashes battle.

Allowing a thick layer on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.

A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.

The long game is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.

The close matches are all the more thrilling because of the patience committed elsewhere.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.

The contention in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from playing their natural game.

Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the conditions and responding accordingly. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized batters. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective

Go and inform the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.

Among the crowd of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and sang their songs, generating a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.

There was belief as the fielding side dominated, impetus when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the win was confirmed.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The venue has form with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a non-event.

That contest was a slog, with limited drama and slow play. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet significance can be found in them.

Deep into the series into the Ashes contest, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.

"Far from being the end of the format at all," commented a former player. "The people who have been lucky enough to see these short time have been given some fantastic sport. A unique show."

Baby Steps: Building for the Future

In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his shoulders.

The players protected him, restoring the joy to his face.

New faces performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.

Ultimately, this Melbourne victory joins other historic performances in meaningless games.

As the supporters left into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the turf to begin their own enjoyment.

Celebrate the win, men. This victory was hard-fought.