🔗 Share this article Sublime Root Basks in Aussie Triumph at Last but Harry Brook's Mistake Might Prove Costly In the end, even the celebration was ideal, under lights under that unusual deep-blue southern sky, in the frenzy of the game-state – hyper Baz energy, the English lower order swinging freely with reckless abandon at the other end. Indeed. All of that. In the middle, the veteran batsman guided the ball away through fine leg to complete his maiden Test hundred in Australia. Yet, the true meaning resonates with those who have followed the journey. Picture trying to explain why this was not just heartwarming, uplifting and cleansing, but subtly monumental. A Milestone Caught in Its Own Light A man who already possessed 39 centuries in this rigorous discipline of a sport has now compiled his fortieth. Yet, follow the story, the skill, the jags in the road. There will, of course, be a lot of discussion stuff to be resolved. Is Joe Root finally great? Does he now rank among Australian greats? But there is something more about wanting Root to be great in Australia. It’s not about one-upmanship. Any Australian who understands cricket recognizes Root is a exceptional cricketer. Root's Hundred as a Reliable Handhold This ton felt important in other ways, not least as something tangible in the series for this team, a handhold in the ice. Will England triumph at the Gabba? Uncertain. But Joe Root got a hundred. Was Harry Brook's dismissal the poorest shot? Yes. He did. This was not merely 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 two wickets down for five runs. A chance was put down early in the slips. The Juxtaposition in the Middle By mid-afternoon, England were 175 for three. Two examples of elite Yorkshire grit at the crease. At one end, Root was simply being himself, relaxed, graceful, alert. At the other, Brook was batting like a man who urgently requires the bathroom. Meanwhile, a darkness was coming, the shadows creeping across the ground, and the swing maestro building up for the crucial spell of the day. A Costly Choice Should one attack this threat? Apparently so. No settling in, no feet. Just throw the hands at it first up. The ball to Brook was full, the edge healthy. There is no scenario where this was a smart choice. It was, if nothing else, novel in its complete misjudgment. We've witnessed England bat in Australia without fluidity. Now Brook gave us the scarecrow, batting without a brain. The Veteran's Silent Answer Therefore one half of this England team persisted in failing, while at the other end Root batted not just for his life, but for the team's cause. He delivered his own quiet rebuke, a triumph for doing your homework, addressing your flaws. The tourists are still in this series because he achieved the milestone, provided a lesson in what ability in the end means. Are they going to bowl Australia out? Can they evolve? It remains to be seen. But Joe Root did score a hundred.