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Finally, the moment of celebration was flawless, under lights under that unusual deep-blue southern sky, amid the chaos of the game-state – frantic Baz energy, England’s lower order swinging freely in a do-or-die manner at the other end.

So yeah. All that stuff. In the middle, Joe Root guided the ball away to fine leg to secure his first Test hundred in Australia.

But, then if you know, you know. Imagine trying to explain the reason this was more than heartwarming, uplifting and cathartic, but subtly monumental.

A Moment Preserved in Time

A man who already possessed 39 tons in this starchy formal dance of a sport has now registered his 40th. Yet, trace the story, the artistry, the twists and turns.

There will, of course, be plenty of debate material to be resolved. Is Joe Root finally great? Is he considered great by Australian standards?

Yet there exists something further about wanting Root to be great in Australia. This isn't concerning rivalry. Every Australian who understands cricket recognizes Root is a world-class cricketer.

Root's Hundred as a Reliable Anchor

Root’s hundred felt significant in other ways, not least as something tangible in the series for this team, a foothold in the difficulty.

Are England going to win at the Gabba? Uncertain. But Joe Root got a hundred. Was Harry Brook's dismissal the poorest shot? Yes. He did.

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

It had to start with the team in deep trouble, and England’s key batter coming out at 5/2. He was given a life early in the slips.

The Juxtaposition in the Middle

In the afternoon session, England were in a reasonable position. Two versions of elite Yorkshire grit at the crease.

At one end, Root was exuding calm, relaxed, lithe, watchful. Meanwhile, Brook was batting like a man who urgently requires the bathroom.

Meanwhile, a gloom was coming, shadows creeping across the ground, and the pink ball genius building up for the pivotal spell of the day.

A Damaging Decision

Should one attack this threat? Yep. No settling in, no feet. Just throw the hands at it first up.

The ball to Brook was full, the edge thick. There is no world where this was a sensible choice.

It was, if nothing else, novel in its complete misjudgment. We have seen England bat in Australia without fluidity. This was Brook as the scarecrow, batting without a brain.

Root's Steady Answer

And so one half of this England team kept faltering, while at the other end Root batted with immense resolve, but for the team's cause.

He offered his own subtle correction, a triumph for preparation, addressing your flaws.

England are still in this series because he did the thing, offered a lesson in what skill ultimately means.

Can they dismiss Australia? Will they adapt? It remains to be seen. But Joe Root did score a hundred.