It was a happy astonishment to awake and find that we had not run adrift in the hours of rainy darkness.
Stand-in skipper Steve Smith remained unbeaten for the series as Australia closed day two of the second Test 187 runs adrift of India on 221 for four.
They finished proceedings on 247 for 4, still 245 runs adrift, still 46 short of avoiding the follow on.
England had begun the day 75 runs adrift of South Africa and lost Root early on for 110.
They were bowling furiously and had England at 22 for 2, with both openers gone, and 91 for 4, still 222 runs adrift.
For when Peter Siddle chipped what was to prove the last ball of the day to cover without scoring, the board read 164 for 9, still 91 runs adrift of England's total.
New Zealand reached tea 98 runs adrift at 167 for eight, but after O'Brien (0) played across the line to Lee after six overs of the final session, Johnson beat Martin's outside edge three overs later.
At one time, a match played at such a dizzying pace it seemed hard to keep up was heading towards a finish inside two days, with Australia's second innings, midway through a lengthy final session, in tatters once more at 111 for six, still 34 runs adrift of making England bat again.
Their unbroken sixth wicket partnership rescued Australia from 143 for five midway through the afternoon, to 220 for five, 40 runs adrift of England, when, just as Anderson was about to bowl with the second new ball, one of those Brisbane showers unleashed, reducing the ground to a gauze-like haze and subsequent abandonment with 17 overs unbowled.
Maybe they were still contemplating the news that their captain, Michael Clarke, would be retiring after the Oval Test, confirmation of which was released to the general public within minutes of Wood disturbing Nathan Lyon's stumps, with Australia still 78 runs adrift of avoiding an innings defeat.
