'Did It Not Captivate?' Why a 48-Hour Fixture Deserved Its Status as a Authentic Test Match.

Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the MCG is housed a neon pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a triumph.

You might not enjoy the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are excellent while others are terrible.

The point being is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no universal formula to create literature or even the longest format.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game

Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.

The elements, the time of day, the cricket ball – the list is endless. Most important is the playing surface.

If the format is a form of art, the strip is the canvas on which the athletes paint their masterpiece.

An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test

The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the traditional sport dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.

Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.

Having excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.

A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is mistaken.

The long game is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.

The thrillers are even more exciting because of the patience committed elsewhere.

Adaptation: The Core Skill

Certain variables are embraced more freely than others.

The argument in Melbourne was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the best players were unable from showcasing their talents.

The format is about finding solutions – assessing the conditions and adapting effectively. The best individual innings were made by world-class stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.

Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective

Go and inform the supporters who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

In one section of the ground, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a stronghold of national pride.

There was belief as the bowlers surged, momentum when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That match was a marathon, with few wickets and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither perfect, yet significance can be attached to them.

At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.

"This isn't the demise of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."

Baby Steps: Looking Ahead

In the preparation to this Test, the captain spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.

The players protected him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.

New faces stepped up with key contributions. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.

In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.

As the supporters slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team congregated on the outfield to commence their own celebrations.

Celebrate the win, men. You've earned this one.