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

In a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a vibrant pink outfit donned by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 attendees was seen as a success.

It's possible you appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. You might take a reasonable stance, admitting that some tracks are belting while others are poor.

The key argument is that amusement can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft literature or even the longest format.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Long Game

The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.

The elements, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.

If the format is art, the wicket is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and stuck back together in abstract form.

This is not a defence of the pitch which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.

Leaving 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.

The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Sometimes, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.

The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment devoted during quieter periods.

Adaptation: The True Test

Some factors are accepted more freely than others.

The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.

The format is about problem solving – reading the wicket and adapting accordingly. The top two individual scores were made by world-class players. One side was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View

Go and inform the supporters who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.

Among the crowd of the MCG, thousands made noise and sang their songs, producing a party atmosphere in a stronghold of sport.

There was optimism as the attack surged, advantage when batters scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was confirmed.

Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a match there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That fixture was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – one is not more ideal, yet value can be attached to them.

Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.

"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been experienced some fantastic sport. Different entertainment."

Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope

In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.

The players delivered for him, restoring the joy to his face.

New faces performed with vital performances. These are small positives, certainly not enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to use as a platform.

At the very least, this triumph is added to other notable performances in dead rubbers.

As the crowd departed into a beautiful night, the players congregated on the field to start their own festivities.

Enjoy the drink, boys. It's well deserved.