'Are You Not Entertained?' The Reason a Shortened Fixture Was No Less a Authentic Test.

Within a glass case on the third floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink ensemble worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a triumph.

It's possible you like the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are poor.

The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to produce literature or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of The Test Format

The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.

The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the wicket.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers create their art.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test

The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reassembled in an unusual manner.

It must be stated this is not a justification of the surface which resulted in a triumph and the another short match of the series.

Having a thick layer on the wicket, causing a cascade of wickets being taken in less than six sessions, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.

A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as illegitimate, is mistaken.

Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, as witnessed recently, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.

The close matches are even more exciting due to the time devoted during quieter periods.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.

The argument in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the top batters were prevented from playing their natural game.

This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – reading the situation and adapting effectively. The two highest individual scores were made by world-class batters. One line-up committed more errors than the other, and thus lost.

Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective

Go and inform the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this was not entertaining.

In one section of the MCG, countless fans waved their flags and created an atmosphere, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of sport.

There was optimism as the attack surged, advantage when batters fought back, and unconditional love when the win was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Range of Test Matches

The MCG has previous experience with pitch problems. In the past, a Test there featured a strip with all the life of a a damp squib.

That contest was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. This recent match and that slow Test are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not the standard, yet historical weight can be ascribed to both.

Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the memory.

"This isn't the demise of Test cricket at all," said a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these 48 hours have been treated to some genuine drama. Different entertainment."

Small Victories: Building for the Future

In the lead-in to this Test, the leader spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.

The squad responded for him, bringing back the joy to his persona.

Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are small positives, hardly enough to ensure long-term futures, but something to use as a platform.

Ultimately, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other memorable performances in dead rubbers.

As the crowd slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad assembled on the turf to commence their own festivities.

Enjoy the drink, boys. You've earned this one.