'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a Two-Day Fixture Remained Every Bit a Genuine Test Match.

Displayed inside a glass case on the third floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a neon pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a hundred thousand attendees was hailed as a major hit.

Perhaps you don't like Robbie Williams. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music known to man. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, admitting that some hits are fantastic while others are terrible.

The point being is that entertainment can be delivered diversely. Preferences differ. There is not a single method to create music or even Test cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket

Test cricket boasts unrivalled depth. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so dependent on external factors.

The elements, the time of day, the red ball – the variables are numerous. Most important is the pitch.

If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the athletes create their art.

An Abstract Contest: The MCG Match

The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was an abstract version of cricket, the traditional sport broken apart and reassembled in abstract form.

It must be stated this is not a defence of the pitch which produced a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.

Leaving excessive grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.

A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.

The format is a diverse canvas, over two thousand matches and still growing. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the ball does all sorts for the seamers. Sometimes, it grips and turns on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it explodes.

The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the time made in other matches.

Adaptation: The True Test

Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.

The debate in during the match was that the contest was skewed excessively towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from showcasing their talents.

This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – assessing the conditions and responding accordingly. The top two individual innings were made by world-class batters. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited

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

In one section of the stadium, thousands celebrated and chanted, generating a party atmosphere in a bastion of sport.

There was belief as the fielding side excelled, impetus when batters scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the victory was achieved.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The MCG has a history with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a strip with the character of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That match was a slog, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the scale – both are not perfect, yet historical weight can be found in each.

At this stage 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," said a past champion. "The people who have been fortunate to see these two days have been given some real entertainment. A unique show."

Small Victories: Building for the Future

In the lead-in to this Test, the skipper addressed the media like a man carrying the weight of the world on his mind.

The players delivered for him, bringing back the smile to his countenance.

Emerging talents performed with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a starting point to use as a platform.

Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team gathered on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.

Celebrate the win, boys. It's well deserved.