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In the end, the very celebration was flawless, out there under that unique intense blue southern sky, in the frenzy of the game-state – hyper Baz energy, the English lower order swinging freely in a do-or-die manner at the other end.

So yeah. All that stuff. Amidst it all, the former captain guided the ball away to fine leg to complete his first Test hundred in Australia.

However, for those who understand, the significance is clear. Consider trying to explain the reason this was more than heartwarming, inspiring and cleansing, but quietly epic.

An Achievement Caught in Time

A batsman who already possessed thirty-nine tons in this traditional format of a sport has now scored his 40th. Yet, follow the story, the craft, the jags in the road.

There'll, of course, be much banter-war material to be hashed out. Has Joe Root finally achieved greatness? Does he now rank among Australian greats?

However, there is something deeper about wanting Root to be great in Australia. It’s not about one-upmanship. Every Australian who knows about cricket is well aware Root is a great cricketer.

The Captain's Hundred as a Solid Anchor

This ton felt meaningful in other ways, especially as something tangible in the series for this team, a anchor in the ice.

Are England going to win at the Gabba? Don’t know. But Joe Root got a hundred. Did Harry Brook produce a disastrous stroke? Yes. He did.

And not just a hundred in Australia, but a outstanding one in truly tough conditions, an innings that may have saved his team in this series.

It began with the early wickets tumbling, and England’s premier batsman coming out at 5/2. He was given a life early in the slips.

The Juxtaposition in the Crease

By mid-afternoon, England were 175 for three. Two embodiments of elite Yorkshire grit at the crease.

On one side, Root was simply being himself, relaxed, lithe, alert. At the other, Brook was batting like a man who urgently requires the bathroom.

All the while, a darkness was coming, the shadows creeping across the ground, and the swing maestro preparing for the pivotal spell of the day.

A Damaging Decision

Do you run towards this danger? Apparently so. No settling in, no feet. Just throw the hands at it first up.

The ball to Brook was full, the edge clear. There is no context where this was a smart choice.

It was, if nothing else, novel in its complete misjudgment. We have seen England bat in Australia like the Tin Man. Now Brook presented the scarecrow, batting without a brain.

Root's Steady Response

Thus one half of this England team continued to collapse, while at the other end Root batted for survival, but for the team's cause.

He offered his own quiet rebuke, a victory for diligence, addressing your flaws.

The tourists are still in this series because he achieved the milestone, delivered a lesson in what skill in the end means.

Can they dismiss Australia? Are they going to learn? It remains to be seen. But Joe Root compiled a hundred.