JOE HAILS HIS CHARACTERS

JOE ROOT hailed his team’s character in avoiding another Ashes whitewash and backed them to go one better than a draw in Sydney.

And Root should take a bow at marshalling his side in such a way that – unlike in 2006 and 2013 – the wheels have not only stopped falling off this tour, but they have repaired a puncture and popped one back on.

It might only have been a draw on a flat MCG pitch, but after three defeats – no make that eight defeats in a row

Down Under – this was a big step in the right direction.

No matter that it came with The

Ashes already pouched by the Aussies, this was a performance built on solid foundations with Alastair Cook back to his best.

Right up until Christmas, it had been a shambles of a tour, and yet somehow the squad stuck together and kept on working, kept on trying, kept on believing and playing.

And finally, after they had been written off by all and sundry, their senior players led by the sort of example that they had wanted to do all along to give them a chance of winning a game by outplaying Australia.

A final day exhibition of patience that culminated in another century from Steve Smith (left) – his 23rd in Test cricket – was enough to deny England the win on a flat, unresponsive pitch in Melbourne.

“We didn’t want it to be a whitewash,” said Root. “We came into this game excited about winning and making sure that was the main focus. We are a better team than we have shown on this trip, and that’s a benchmark to move forward.”