'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a Shortened Test Deserved Its Status as a Genuine Test.

Within a display cabinet on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground is housed a neon pink outfit performed in by the pop star. His show in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a triumph.

You might not enjoy his music. Maybe you feel he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a middle ground, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.

The point being is that amusement can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no one way to create music or even five-day cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket

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

The weather, the hour of play, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the pitch.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the pitch is the blank slate on which the players create their art.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and stuck back together in an unusual manner.

Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the pitch which yielded a triumph and the another short match of the contest.

Allowing 10mm of grass on the surface, leading to a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between offense and defense.

A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket

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

The format is a diverse canvas, a long history and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.

The close matches are even more exciting due to the patience made during quieter periods.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Certain variables are accepted more easily than others.

The contention in Melbourne was that the balance was weighted unfairly towards the attack. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.

Test cricket is about problem solving – reading the conditions and responding effectively. The top two individual scores were made by acknowledged batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Pure Elation: The Fan Perspective

Try telling the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.

In one section of the ground, countless fans made noise and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a bastion of Australian cricket.

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

Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The Melbourne has previous experience with controversial surfaces. In the past, a Test there featured a wicket with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That contest was a grind, with minimal action and slow play. This recent match and that slow Test are diametrically opposed points of the range – one is not more the standard, yet significance can be found in each.

Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will be most remembered in the history books.

"This isn't the end of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Fans who have been privileged to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."

Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead

In the preparation to this Test, the captain talked like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The team delivered for him, reinstating the positive demeanor to his countenance.

Different players stepped up with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to ensure long-term success, but a starting point to use as a platform.

In the end, this MCG win is added to other notable performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans slipped away into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad congregated on the field to start their own celebrations.

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