'Are You Not Entertained?' The Reason a Two-Day Test Remained Every Bit a Proper Test.

Within a glass case on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a neon pink suit performed in by the pop star. The performance in front of 100,024 attendees was hailed as a major hit.

It's possible you enjoy the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are fantastic while others are awful.

The point being is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to craft art or even five-day cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket

The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.

The climate, the session, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the wicket.

If the format is a form of art, the wicket is the canvas on which the players craft their legacy.

An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test

The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reconstructed in abstract form.

It must be stated this is not a defence of the surface which resulted in a win and the second two-day Test of the series.

Allowing excessive grass on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than a brief period, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.

A Diverse Legacy: The Core of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is incorrect.

Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it spits like a cobra.

The close matches are all the more thrilling owing to the patience committed in other matches.

Adjustment: The True Test

Some factors are embraced more readily than others.

The contention in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.

This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited

Attempt to convince the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.

In one section of the stadium, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of Australian cricket.

There was belief as the fielding side surged, advantage when players scored quickly, and pure joy when the win was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The Melbourne has form with pitch problems. In the past, a game there featured a strip with the excitement of a a non-event.

That match was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – neither perfect, yet significance can be attached to them.

Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.

"Far from being the demise of the format at all," commented a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been experienced some genuine drama. A unique show."

Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope

In the build-up to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.

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

New faces stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but something to develop from.

At the very least, this MCG win joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans slipped away into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the outfield to commence their own festivities.

Savour the moment, men. You've earned this one.