'Was That Not a Show?' Why a Two-Day Match Deserved Its Status as a Authentic Test Match.

Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a vibrant pink suit donned by Robbie Williams. The show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was hailed as a triumph.

You might not appreciate the performer. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, acknowledging that some songs are belting while others are awful.

The central idea is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. You like what you like. There is not a single method to produce art or even five-day cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket

Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on the environment.

The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.

If the format is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle

The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the established format dismantled and reassembled in an unusual manner.

Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a victory and the another short match of the contest.

Leaving a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets falling in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.

A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.

Test cricket is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.

The exciting finishes are particularly captivating due to the investment made in other matches.

Problem Solving: The True Test

Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.

The contention in Melbourne was that the contest was tipped too far towards the attack. That the top batters were unable from playing their natural game.

This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the conditions and adapting effectively. The best individual contributions were made by recognized stars. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.

Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View

Try telling the fans who have endured years of defeat that this was not entertaining.

In a corner of the ground, a sea of people made noise and chanted, generating a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.

There was optimism as the fielding side excelled, impetus when the top order fought back, and pure joy when the win was achieved.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That match was a grind, with few wickets and slow play. The two-day game and that slow Test are polar opposites of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet significance can be found in each.

Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.

"This isn't the death of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been experienced some genuine drama. An unusual spectacle."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The squad protected him, reinstating the joy to his countenance.

Different players delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.

At the very least, this triumph takes its place among other memorable performances in meaningless games.

As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the field to start their own festivities.

Enjoy the drink, lads. This victory was hard-fought.