Joe Root finally ended his long, frustrating wait for a Test century in Australia; an achievement that not only lifted England at the Gabba but also saved Matthew Hayden from delivering on one of the strangest guarantees ever made before an Ashes series. The Australian great had vowed to run nude around the Melbourne Cricket Ground if Root failed to score a hundred during the 2025–26 Ashes. One elegant flick off Scott Boland ensured that day never came.

Ashes 2025-26, 2nd Test Live | Scorecard

Root reached the landmark under the Brisbane floodlights late on day one of the pink-ball Test, guiding a delivery down the leg-side to the boundary to bring up his 40th Test hundred. The celebration from the England supporters was immediate and loud; after all, they had witnessed Root fal

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