'Did It Not Captivate?' The Reason a 48-Hour Match Remained Every Bit a Genuine Cricket Test.

In a glass case on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink suit worn by Robbie Williams. His performance in front of a hundred thousand spectators was considered a major hit.

It's possible you appreciate his music. You might think he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are awful.

The central idea is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even Test cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

The five-day game boasts peerless complexity. It is hard to think of another sport where the contest is so reliant upon conditions.

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

If the format is art, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.

A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match

The Boxing Day fixture between the old rivals was an abstract version of cricket, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

This is not a defence of the surface which produced a win and the second two-day Test of the series.

Leaving a thick layer on the wicket, resulting in a cascade of wickets being taken in less than two days, is not a fair contest between offense and defense.

A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is incorrect.

The format is a varied portfolio, a long history and counting. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.

The close matches are even more exciting owing to the patience made elsewhere.

Problem Solving: The True Test

Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.

The argument in at the MCG was that the equilibrium was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the top batters were hindered from demonstrating their skill.

The format is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and responding accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.

Sheer Celebration: The Supporters' View

Attempt to convince the devotees who have suffered years of defeat that this lacked spectacle.

In a corner of the MCG, countless fans made noise and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.

There was optimism as the attack surged, momentum when players scored quickly, and unconditional love when the result was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The MCG has a history with pitch problems. Previously, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.

That contest was a marathon, with few wickets and slow play. This recent match and that drawn affair are diametrically opposed points of the scale – one is not more ideal, yet historical weight can be attached to them.

Deep into the series into the current series, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.

"Far from being the end of the format at all," commented a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these short time have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."

Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope

In the lead-in to this match, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the heavy burden on his shoulders.

The players delivered for him, restoring the positive demeanor to his countenance.

Different players delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, not nearly enough to ensure long-term stability, but a starting point to develop from.

At the very least, this Melbourne victory is added to other historic performances in meaningless games.

As the supporters departed into a stunning sunset, the players gathered on the turf to start their own celebrations.

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