'Was That Not a Show?' The Reason a 48-Hour Match Deserved Its Status as a Authentic Test Match.

Displayed inside a showcase on the upper level of the MCG rests a electric pink ensemble worn by the pop star. His show in front of 100,024 spectators 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, conceding that some hits are belting while others are awful.

The key argument is that enjoyment can be delivered diversely. Tastes vary. There is no one way to craft art or even the longest format.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

The traditional format boasts unrivalled depth. One struggles to think of another sport where the outcome is so dictated by external factors.

The climate, the hour of play, the ball – the variables are numerous. Above all is the pitch.

If the format is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the players paint their masterpiece.

A Broken-Down Battle: The Fourth Test

The fourth Ashes Test between the two sides was the game deconstructed, the great game dismantled and stuck back together in a bizarre shape.

Let's be clear, this isn't a endorsement of the wicket which resulted in a win and the another sub-three-day finish of the contest.

Having a thick layer on the pitch, leading to numerous dismissals tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between batter and bowler.

A Rich Tapestry: The Nature of Test Cricket

But any notion this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as illegitimate, is wide of the mark.

Test cricket is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and ongoing. At times, like in Melbourne, the ball moves excessively for the fast men. Other times, it grips and turns on a dust bowl. At other venues, the pitch is flat as a pancake, other times it bounces unevenly.

The close matches are even more exciting owing to the time committed in other matches.

Adaptation: The Core Skill

Specific conditions are accepted more readily than others.

The argument in during the match was that the equilibrium was skewed excessively towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were prevented from demonstrating their skill.

The format is about problem solving – reading the conditions and adjusting effectively. The top two individual innings were made by acknowledged stars. One team made more mistakes than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Sheer Celebration: For Those Who Waited

Try telling the devotees who have experienced 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.

In a corner of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.

There was hope as the fielding side excelled, advantage when the top order fought back, and unconditional love when the result was achieved.

Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The MCG has previous experience with difficult wickets. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a wicket with the excitement of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That match was a slog, with few wickets and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that slow Test are polar opposites of the range – one is not more perfect, yet value can be ascribed to each.

Four Tests into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will live longest in the history books.

"It's not the death of the long game at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. An unusual spectacle."

Signs of Progress: Building for the Future

In the build-up to this Test, the skipper spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his back.

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

Emerging talents performed with key contributions. These are incremental gains, certainly not enough to secure long-term success, but a starting point to build on.

In the end, this MCG win takes its place among other historic performances in meaningless games.

As the supporters departed into a glorious Melbourne evening, the squad gathered on the field to commence their own celebrations.

Savour the moment, lads. You've earned this one.