'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a Shortened Fixture Was No Less a Proper Cricket Test.

Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink suit performed in by the pop star. His concert in front of a massive crowd of spectators was seen as a success.

It's possible you enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.

The central idea is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even the longest format.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game

The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.

The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.

An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test

The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in a bizarre shape.

It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the contest.

Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not an even battle between bat and ball.

A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket

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

The format is a rich tapestry, 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 bounces unevenly.

The close matches are particularly captivating because of the time devoted elsewhere.

Adjustment: The Real Challenge

Specific conditions are embraced more easily than others.

The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.

Test cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adjusting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.

Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective

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

Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands celebrated and created an atmosphere, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of national pride.

There was belief as the fielding side surged, momentum when players fought back, and pure joy when the victory was secured.

Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches

The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.

That contest was a marathon, with minimal action and slow play. The latest encounter and that slow Test are extreme ends of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet significance can be attached to them.

At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the history books.

"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some real entertainment. Different entertainment."

Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope

In the lead-in to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.

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

New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.

At the very least, this triumph is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.

As the crowd slipped away into a stunning sunset, the squad assembled on the turf to begin their own festivities.

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