Alastair Cook has been lauded for his resilience after overcoming his Ashes struggles to post the 32nd ton of his test career.
The veteran opener on Wednesday found the touch that had eluded him earlier in the series, scoring 104 not out to leave England 192-2 at stumps on day two of the fourth test.
Cook looked set for a nervous night in the 90s before Steve Smith brought himself on to bowl the last over before stumps.
Alastair Cook took 11 runs off Steve Smith in the final over of day two to reach 104 not out.
The former captain helped himself to 11 runs from the over to reach triple figures in Australia for the first time since his 189 in Sydney in the 2010-11 Ashes.
He's overtaken Mahela Jayawardene to become the eighth-highest scorer in test cricket, with 11,816 runs.
Smith had earlier gifted Cook a second life on 66 when he put down a sharp chance at first slip.
With Australia having already reclaimed the Ashes with an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, Cook had arrived in Melbourne with a shadow over his future.
His obvious struggles in the first three tests, scoring just 83 runs at 13.83, had predecessor and frequent critic Kevin Pietersen suggesting he was close to retirement.
But the 33-year-old responded with an aggressive knock, which England paceman and fellow veteran Stuart Broad described as testament to his mental fortitude.
"I think it shows a huge amount of character to be under that sort of scrutiny and pressure and come out and deliver any sort of performance, let alone a hundred like Cookie has just done," Broad said.
"He went through so much stuff with his captaincy. I'm not sure a bit of stick about scoring runs is going to bother him too much.
"He's always been a very tough character, a very mentally strong guy and he was always going to come good at some stage."
Cook's only other century for the year was his 243 against West Indies at Edgbaston in August, and England will hope he can continue his tendency to go large.
"Cookie has always had these periods in his career where he might not score the runs he wants and then he seems to get a really big score," Broad said.
"As part of the bowling unit, I'd like him to do the same tomorrow."
- AAP