'Did It Not Captivate?' The Reason a Two-Day Match Remained Every Bit a Proper Test.

In a showcase on the elevated floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His concert in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a success.

You might not enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.

The key argument is that enjoyment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce music or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.

The climate, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the pitch.

If the format is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the canvas on which the cricketers craft their legacy.

A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle

The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

This is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a victory and the another sub-three-day finish of the Ashes battle.

Having 10mm of grass on the wicket, leading to numerous dismissals being taken in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Varied History: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is wide of the mark.

The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.

The thrillers are even more exciting due to the investment committed elsewhere.

Problem Solving: The Real Challenge

Some factors are embraced more readily than others.

The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the fielding side. That the best players were prevented from playing their natural game.

This level of cricket is about finding solutions – interpreting the situation and adjusting accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.

Pure Elation: For Those Who Waited

Attempt to convince the fans who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.

Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands waved their flags and chanted, generating a festive mood in a stronghold of Australian cricket.

There was belief as the fielding side surged, impetus when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the result was confirmed.

Extreme Ends: The Range of Test Matches

The Melbourne has previous experience with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the character of a a non-event.

That contest was a grind, with limited drama and endless boredom. This recent match and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – neither ideal, yet significance can be ascribed to them.

Deep into the series into the current series, it is the shortest games that will remain iconic in the collective consciousness.

"Far from being the demise of the format at all," said a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been experienced some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."

Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope

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

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

Different players delivered with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but something to build on.

In the end, this triumph joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.

As the crowd departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team assembled on the turf to commence their own festivities.

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