'Did It Not Captivate?' The Reason a Shortened Fixture Remained Every Bit a Proper Cricket Test.

Displayed inside a glass case on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium rests a electric pink outfit donned by Robbie Williams. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was seen as a triumph.

You might not appreciate his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. You might take a balanced view, admitting that some songs are belting while others are awful.

The key argument is that enjoyment can take many forms. You like what you like. There is no one way to create art or even Test cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Long Game

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

The weather, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the playing surface.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the blank slate on which the cricketers create their art.

An Abstract Contest: The Fourth Test

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was the game deconstructed, the established format taken to pieces and reassembled in abstract form.

Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the wicket which produced a victory and the another short match of the Ashes battle.

Allowing a thick layer on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.

A Diverse Legacy: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.

The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.

The thrillers are all the more thrilling owing to the time committed in other matches.

Adaptation: The Core Skill

Specific conditions are embraced more readily than others.

The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.

This level of cricket is about finding solutions – assessing the wicket and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class batters. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective

Try telling the fans who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

In a corner of the ground, thousands waved their flags and chanted, generating a festive mood in a heartland of national pride.

There was belief as the fielding side surged, advantage when batters responded, and unconditional love when the victory was confirmed.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a damp squib.

That fixture was a slog, with minimal action and interminable tedium. This recent match and that slow Test are polar opposites of the scale – both are not ideal, yet value can be found in both.

Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.

"This isn't the end of the format at all," commented a past champion. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some fantastic sport. A unique show."

Baby Steps: Building for the Future

In the lead-in to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.

The players responded for him, bringing back the joy to his countenance.

Emerging talents delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.

Ultimately, this triumph takes its place among other notable performances in dead rubbers.

As the supporters left into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the turf to start their own celebrations.

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