Root ends debate with first ton in Oz

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.”

- DAVID CHARLESWORTH

While he has amassed more than 13,000 Test runs - only India idol Sachin Tendulkar has more - Root’s lack of a three-figure score in any format in Australia was a major subplot ahead of this Ashes series.

He ended his barren run on the opening day of the second Ashes Test, surviving being dropped on two after England had lurched to five for two to post an unbeaten 135 in a stumps total of 325 for nine.

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, England's player of the series the last time they won the Ashes in Australia in 2010-11, said on TNT Sports: “Even Australia will have to admit he’s a great now.

“He's been superb under pressure as always. He is England’s best batter ever. He just gets better and better.”