ADMIT IT: HE'S AN ALL-TIME GREAT

JOE ROOT'S maiden hundred Down Under left former England team-mate Sir Alastair Cook purring: "Even Australia will have to admit he's a great now."

- FROM RORY DOLLARD IN BRISBANE

Root's lack of a three-figure score in any format in Australia was a major subplot ahead of this Ashes.

He ended his barren run on the opening day of the second Ashes Test, surviving being dropped on two after England had lurched to 5-2 to reach stumps unbeaten on 135 with his team 325-9.

Darren Lehmann was among those to claim the absence of a century in Australia was a barrier to Root being an "all-time great", but the 34-year-old has now done so in his 16th Test and 30th innings in the country.

Cook was England's player of the series the last time they won the Ashes in Australia in 2010-11.