'Was That Not a Show?' Why a 48-Hour Match Was No Less a Genuine Test Match.

Within a display cabinet on the third floor of the MCG sits a electric pink outfit worn by the entertainer. His concert in front of a hundred thousand fans was hailed as a major hit.

You might not appreciate the performer. Maybe you feel he is the ultimate present to music in history. Alternatively, you may hold a balanced view, acknowledging that some hits are belting while others are terrible.

The central idea is that entertainment can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no universal formula to produce music or even five-day cricket.

The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket

Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It is hard to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon the environment.

The weather, the hour of play, the ball – the factors are countless. Above all is the playing surface.

If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the canvas on which the cricketers craft their legacy.

A Test of Cubism: The MCG Match

The fourth Ashes Test between the old rivals was the game deconstructed, the great game broken apart and reconstructed in an unusual manner.

It must be stated this is not a defence of the wicket which yielded a win and the second two-day Test of the series.

Allowing a thick layer on the pitch, resulting in a cascade of wickets falling in less than a brief period, is not a balanced duel between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a lesser event, one that should be marked with an asterisk as not a proper Test, is incorrect.

Test cricket is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as witnessed recently, the cricket ball moves excessively for the pace bowlers. In contrast, it grips and turns on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is dead, other times it spits like a cobra.

The close matches are even more exciting because of the time devoted elsewhere.

Problem Solving: The Real Challenge

Certain variables are tolerated more easily than others.

The argument in at the MCG was that the contest was weighted unfairly towards the bowlers. That the best players were unable from playing their natural game.

This level of cricket is about adapting to challenges – interpreting the wicket and responding appropriately. The best individual innings were made by acknowledged players. One team committed more errors than the other, and thus were defeated.

Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective

Try telling the devotees who have experienced years of defeat that this wasn't compelling.

Among the crowd of the stadium, thousands celebrated and sang their songs, producing a carnival vibe in a heartland of Australian cricket.

There was belief as the bowlers surged, advantage when batters fought back, and rapturous celebration when the result was confirmed.

Contrasting Examples: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The MCG has previous experience with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a match there featured a wicket with the excitement of a a damp squib.

That fixture was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that drawn affair are polar opposites of the range – neither the standard, yet significance can be found in both.

Deep into the series into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the memory.

"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," said a former player. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."

Small Victories: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this Test, the leader talked like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.

The squad responded for him, reinstating the smile to his face.

New faces performed with crucial roles. These are baby steps, certainly not enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.

At the very least, this triumph joins other historic performances in similar circumstances.

As the crowd left into a beautiful night, the team assembled on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.

Savour the moment, boys. This victory was hard-fought.