'Are You Not Entertained?' The Reason a Two-Day Match Was No Less a Authentic Cricket Test.

In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the iconic Melbourne stadium sits a vibrant pink ensemble performed in by the entertainer. His performance in front of 100,024 fans was hailed as a success.

You might not enjoy his music. Perhaps you believe he is the finest offering to music in history. Or you could adopt a balanced view, conceding that some hits are fantastic while others are poor.

The central idea is that amusement can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is not a single method to produce art or even Test cricket.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

The five-day game boasts incomparable variety. One struggles to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.

The weather, the session, the cricket ball – the variables are numerous. Crucially is the playing surface.

If the long game is an artistic pursuit, the strip is the foundation on which the athletes create their art.

A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle

The recent Melbourne match between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the established format broken apart and reassembled in a bizarre shape.

Let's be clear, this isn't a justification of the surface which resulted in a win and the another short match of the series.

Leaving excessive grass on the wicket, resulting in 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not an even battle between offense and defense.

A Varied History: The Core of Test Cricket

But any suggestion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be marked with an asterisk as inauthentic, is incorrect.

The format is a diverse canvas, 2,615 parts and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. In contrast, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it explodes.

The exciting finishes are all the more thrilling because of the patience committed elsewhere.

Adjustment: The Core Skill

Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.

The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the best players were prevented from demonstrating their skill.

This level of cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the wicket and adapting effectively. The two highest individual innings were made by recognized stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited

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

In a corner of the ground, a sea of people waved their flags and created an atmosphere, producing a festive mood in a heartland of Australian cricket.

There was hope as the fielding side excelled, advantage when the top order scored quickly, and rapturous celebration when the result was secured.

Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches

The Melbourne has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a non-event.

That match was a marathon, with limited drama and endless boredom. The two-day game and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet value can be found in each.

Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the shortest games that will be most remembered in the collective consciousness.

"It's not the end of the format at all," observed a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been treated to some fantastic sport. An unusual spectacle."

Signs of Progress: Looking Ahead

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

The squad delivered for him, bringing back the positive demeanor to his countenance.

Different players delivered with crucial roles. These are small positives, hardly enough to guarantee long-term success, but a foundation to build on.

At the very least, this Melbourne victory takes its place among other historic performances in similar circumstances.

As the supporters departed into a beautiful night, the players assembled on the turf to begin their own festivities.

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