'Are You Not Entertained?' The Reason a Shortened Match Remained Every Bit a Proper Cricket Test.

Displayed inside a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a vibrant pink suit worn by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand fans was considered a major hit.

Perhaps you don't appreciate his music. Perhaps you believe he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.

The key argument is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce art or even the longest format.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the contest is so dependent on conditions.

The elements, the time of day, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.

If the long game is art, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.

A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match

The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

This is not a endorsement of the pitch which yielded a win and the another short match of the Ashes battle.

Having 10mm of grass on the pitch, causing numerous dismissals falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.

A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.

Test cricket is a rich tapestry, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it turns square on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.

The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the time devoted elsewhere.

Problem Solving: The Core Skill

Certain variables are accepted more freely than others.

The debate in at the MCG was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.

This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and adapting accordingly. The two highest individual contributions were made by acknowledged stars. One side committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.

Unbridled Joy: The Fan Perspective

Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced a long drought that this was not entertaining.

Among the crowd of the MCG, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of national pride.

There was optimism as the bowlers dominated, impetus when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.

Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum 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 a damp squib.

That match was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to each.

At this stage into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.

"Far from being the death of the long game at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been fortunate to see these two days have been treated to some genuine drama. A unique show."

Signs of Progress: Building for the Future

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

The players responded for him, reinstating the smile to his countenance.

Different players delivered with key contributions. These are baby steps, not nearly enough to secure long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.

In the end, this MCG win joins other notable performances in similar circumstances.

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

Celebrate the win, boys. This victory was hard-fought.