Joe Root ended his long wait for a Test century in Australia by hitting triple figures on the first day of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane.
In his 30th innings, after all the pre-series talk, Root dug in as he had so often had to keep England afloat in the day-night Test.
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The 34-year-old came in with his team reeling at 5-2 in the third over, lost for two and saw wickets fall at the other end, but late in the evening reached the 40th century of his remarkable Test career with 256-7.
He reached the landmark with a flick of his feet, removed his helmet and greeted the crowd with a typically measured celebration.
“Even Australia will have to admit he's great now,” his former England team-mate Sir Alastair Cook told TNT Sports.
“This is a brilliant opportunity and exactly what England needs.
“He's great under pressure as always. He is England's all-time leading batsman. He's getting better and better.”
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Prior to this innings, Root had made nine fifties and scored 900 in Australia, but his average of 33.33 was the lowest of any country in which he had batted more than twice.
The century moves Root into the ranks of Australian great Ricky Ponting, who ranks third in the list of most hundreds in Test history.
More importantly, however, it ends any talk of whether Root, already the second-highest Test scorer, can be considered the greatest player of all time without a Test century in Australia – opinion nominated by former Australia coach and batter Darren Lehmann.
“He fought so hard for this,” said BBC Test Match special commentator Jonathan Agnew. “This will appease some critics.”
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How Ruth Broke His Australian Duck
Krut's strike was not without moments of tension.
After scoring 88, one less than his previous best in Australia, Root was kicking himself for pushing off and missing bowler Cameron Green's off-stump.
There were lbw reviews in the 62nd and 73rd matches – Scott Boland, the bowler on both occasions – but the first missed off stump and the second hit Root's front pad outside off stump.
Speculation about Root's Australian record intensified in the summer when former Australian batter David Warner referred to his “surfboard” with a front panel.
In truth, getting to the wicket and slipping was his real weakness: another dismissal in the same manner in the first Test at Perth made him nine in his last 12 innings.
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Ruth could fall this way with only two to his name. Mitchell Starc stopped him and directed him to the cordon.
The ball would not have cleared Marnus Labuschagne at first slip, but Steve Smith, diving from the second, grabbed the ball with his hand, but it fell from his hands.
From then on, Root batted smartly.
Getting the ball past point is one of his biggest strengths at home, but that shot has been blamed for his problems in Australia, where the ball bounces higher and finds edges.
In Brisbane, Root scored just 10% of his first 50 runs behind square offside, aiming the “V” into the ground instead.
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As the ball became softer, that familiar hit returned.
