'Did It Not Captivate?' The Reason a Two-Day Fixture Deserved Its Status as a Proper Test.

Displayed inside a showcase on the third floor of the Melbourne Cricket Ground sits a neon pink suit worn by the entertainer. The show in front of a massive crowd of attendees was considered a triumph.

Perhaps you don't enjoy the performer. Maybe you feel he is the finest offering to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some songs are fantastic while others are terrible.

The central idea is that entertainment can manifest in countless ways. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce music or even the longest format.

The Unrivalled Depth of The Test Format

Test cricket boasts incomparable variety. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon conditions.

The weather, the time of day, the red ball – the factors are countless. Most important is the wicket.

If the long game is a form of art, the strip is the foundation on which the cricketers craft their legacy.

A Test of Cubism: The Melbourne Spectacle

The fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport taken to pieces and stuck back together in an unusual manner.

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

Allowing excessive grass on the surface, causing 36 wickets tumbling in less than six sessions, is not a fair contest between bat and ball.

A Rich Tapestry: The Essence of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a diminished spectacle, one that should be footnoted as not a proper Test, is incorrect.

The format is a rich tapestry, a long history and counting. On occasion, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Other times, it turns square on a dry surface. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.

The close matches are particularly captivating owing to the investment made elsewhere.

Adaptation: The Real Challenge

Specific conditions are tolerated more freely than others.

The debate in Melbourne was that the balance was tipped too far towards the bowlers. That the skilled individuals were prevented from showcasing their talents.

Test cricket is about problem solving – interpreting the situation and adjusting appropriately. The top two individual contributions were made by world-class stars. One line-up made more mistakes than the other, and thus were defeated.

Sheer Celebration: The Fan Perspective

Attempt to convince the fans who have suffered a long drought that this wasn't compelling.

In one section of the MCG, a sea of people celebrated and created an atmosphere, generating a party atmosphere in a stronghold of national pride.

There was optimism as the attack surged, advantage when the top order responded, and pure joy when the win was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Variety of Test Matches

The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Previously, a game there featured a wicket with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.

That match was a grind, with limited drama and interminable tedium. This recent match and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – both are not perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to both.

Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the quick finishes that will remain iconic in the history books.

"This isn't the end of the format at all," commented a veteran. "Spectators who have been lucky enough to see these 48 hours have been treated to some real entertainment. A unique show."

Baby Steps: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this match, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the heavy burden on his mind.

The team responded for him, restoring the joy to his persona.

Different players delivered with vital performances. These are incremental gains, hardly enough to secure long-term futures, but something to build on.

In the end, this triumph joins other memorable performances in similar circumstances.

As the fans left into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the turf to commence their own festivities.

Celebrate the win, boys. You've earned this one.