'Did It Not Captivate?' The Reason a Shortened Fixture Was No Less a Genuine Test.

Within a glass case on the upper level of the MCG rests a vibrant pink suit donned by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a triumph.

It's possible you appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music known to man. You might take 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 one way to craft literature or even five-day cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on external factors.

The elements, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Above all is the pitch.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the athletes create their art.

A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match

The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the established format taken to pieces and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.

It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which yielded a win and the another short match of the contest.

Having a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between batter and bowler.

A Diverse Legacy: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.

The long game is a varied portfolio, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.

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

Adjustment: The Real Challenge

Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.

The argument in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.

This level of cricket is about problem solving – reading the wicket and responding effectively. The top two individual scores were made by recognized stars. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective

Attempt to convince the supporters who have experienced a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

In a corner of the ground, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a heartland of sport.

There was hope as the attack surged, advantage when the top order responded, and rapturous celebration when the victory was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a pitch with the excitement of a a damp squib.

That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more perfect, yet value can be found in each.

At this stage into the Ashes contest, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.

"Far from being the end of the long game at all," observed a former player. "Spectators who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been experienced some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

In the lead-in to this Test, the leader addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The team delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.

New faces delivered with crucial roles. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but a foundation to build on.

At the very least, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in meaningless games.

As the fans left into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the field to commence their own enjoyment.

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