Root goes from dud to dominator with breakthrough ton in Australia

Dec 4 : Less than two weeks after being dismissed as a "dud" Down Under, Joe Root finally shrugged the monkey off his back with a first test century in Australia on Thursday to breathe life into England's Ashes campaign.

Unbeaten on 135 from 202 balls, Root exited the Gabba with England 325 for nine at stumps on day one of the second test, having delivered the perfect riposte to his Australian critics.

Root's arrival before the series-opener in Perth was greeted by disparaging headlines in local newspapers which made fun of his century-less record in the country.

The home media crowed when "dud" Root was dismissed cheaply twice in Perth by Mitchell Starc as England fell to an eight-wicket defeat in two days.

He arrived in Brisbane with 10 fifties from his 16 previous Ashes tests in Australia, unable to convert any of them into hundreds.

He came closest in the Ashes opener in Brisbane four years ago but was dismissed for 89 by Cameron Green with a nick behind.

His wicket triggered a second innings batting collapse that paved the way to a stinging nine-wicket defeat.

England ended up losing the series 4-0, leaving Root winless in tests in Australia again.

It would have been understandable if that history weighed on Root when he came to the middle of the Gabba on Thursday, with England teetering at five for two following an early double-strike with the pink ball from Starc.

Root's innings was almost over after three balls when he nicked Starc into the slips.

But home captain Steve Smith grassed a tough, diving chance, allowing the former England skipper to build a 117-run partnership with opener Zak Crawley, who made a vital 76 after falling for two ducks in Perth.

Though Crawley kept England's run-rate high, Root reverted to