'Did It Not Captivate?' The Reason a Two-Day Match Was No Less a Proper Cricket Test.

Within a showcase on the upper level of the iconic Melbourne stadium is housed a neon pink outfit donned by the entertainer. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a major hit.

It's possible you like the performer. You might think he is the ultimate present to music the world has ever seen. Or you could adopt a reasonable stance, acknowledging that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.

The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to create music or even Test cricket.

The Peerless Spectrum of The Test Format

The traditional format boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the outcome is so dependent on external factors.

The elements, the session, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the playing surface.

If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.

A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle

The Boxing Day fixture between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in abstract form.

It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.

Having a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than two days, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.

A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is mistaken.

The format is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball does all sorts for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.

The thrillers are particularly captivating due to the time devoted in other matches.

Adjustment: The Real Challenge

Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.

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

This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the situation and responding effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized stars. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective

Go and inform the fans who have suffered a long drought that this lacked spectacle.

In one section of the ground, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of national pride.

There was belief as the fielding side excelled, advantage when batters responded, and pure joy when the victory was achieved.

Contrasting Examples: The Variety of Test Matches

The venue has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.

That match was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that drawn affair are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to each.

Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.

"It's not the demise of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been fortunate to see these short time have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

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

The team delivered for him, restoring the smile to his persona.

Emerging talents delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to develop from.

At the very least, this triumph is added to other notable performances in meaningless games.

As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the team congregated on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.

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