'Are You Not Entertained?' Why a 48-Hour Test Remained Every Bit a Authentic Test Match.

In a display cabinet on the elevated floor of the MCG is housed a neon pink outfit worn by the pop star. The show in front of a massive crowd of fans was considered a success.

Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music known to man. Or you could adopt a middle ground, acknowledging that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.

The central idea is that enjoyment can take many forms. Tastes vary. There is no universal formula to produce art or even the longest format.

The Incomparable Variety of Test Cricket

The five-day game boasts unrivalled depth. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so dictated by conditions.

The climate, the session, the cricket ball – the factors are countless. Crucially is the wicket.

If Test cricket is an artistic pursuit, the wicket is the blank slate on which the cricketers paint their masterpiece.

A Broken-Down Battle: The MCG Match

The Boxing Day fixture between Australia and England was Test cricket cubism, the established format dismantled and reassembled in a bizarre shape.

It must be stated this is not a endorsement of the wicket which yielded a triumph and the another sub-three-day finish of the series.

Allowing excessive grass on the surface, leading to numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not a balanced duel between batter and bowler.

A Rich Tapestry: The Core of Test Cricket

But any idea this was a inferior show, one that should be qualified as not a proper Test, is incorrect.

The long game is a varied portfolio, over two thousand matches and counting. Sometimes, as seen at the MCG, the ball behaves unpredictably for the seamers. Sometimes, it spins sharply on a spinning track. Sometimes, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it bounces unevenly.

The close matches are even more exciting owing to the investment committed elsewhere.

Adjustment: The True Test

Some factors are tolerated more easily than others.

The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the fielding side. That the skilled individuals were hindered from playing their natural game.

The format is about problem solving – assessing the wicket and responding appropriately. The top two individual scores were made by world-class batters. One line-up was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.

Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited

Go and inform the supporters who have experienced 18 winless matches that this lacked spectacle.

In a corner of the stadium, countless fans celebrated and sang their songs, fostering a festive mood in a stronghold of national pride.

There was optimism as the attack excelled, impetus when players responded, and unconditional love when the win was secured.

Polar Opposites: The Spectrum of Test Matches

The MCG has form with controversial surfaces. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a a non-event.

That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and endless boredom. The latest encounter and that previous match are extreme ends of the spectrum – neither perfect, yet significance can be ascribed to them.

Four Tests into the ongoing battle, it is the two-day matches that will live longest in the history books.

"It's not the demise of the long game at all," said a former player. "Fans who have been privileged to see these two days have been experienced some real entertainment. A unique show."

Signs of Progress: A Glimmer of Hope

In the preparation to this match, the captain spoke like a man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The squad protected him, reinstating the smile to his persona.

Emerging talents stepped up with vital performances. These are baby steps, hardly enough to guarantee long-term futures, but a foundation to develop from.

Ultimately, this MCG win joins other memorable performances in dead rubbers.

As the supporters slipped away into a beautiful night, the team gathered on the outfield to begin their own festivities.

Enjoy the drink, lads. It's well deserved.