766 and All That - Cook's Dominance of Australia
Sir Alastair's impressive 766 by an Englishman on an Ashes tour was only surpassed by Wally Hammond
Brisbane hasn't been a location providing the Three Lions crucial hope for the Ashes
Following the loss to the hosts at the series start, England need to regroup ahead of visiting Brisbane's Gabba, a venue where the English haven't triumphed for over thirty years
Men wearing three lions have often become lambs to the slaughter in Brisbane
The Inspirational Achievement
Throughout modern times of dashed English dreams, aspirations and players exists a motivational tale provided by a cricket hero
It is exactly the 15th anniversary of Sir Alastair Cook conquered the Gabba with a career-defining 235 without loss, rescuing the opening match of 2010-11 and setting England on course to their only Ashes series win on Australian soil in the past 38 years
Record-Breaking Performance
This marked the start of the victorious circumnavigation of Australia; three hundreds accumulating 766 runs
Wally Hammond stands as the only Briton who has made more runs in a series on Australian soil
Victory came 3-1, with every win by an innings
England hasn't achieved a Test victory there since those glory days
Looking Back
"One tends to forget the tough times, the apprehension and concern accompanying that success," Cook recalls
"I reflect proudly. I played a significant part during a campaign where the English secured a 3-1 victory on Australian soil where each victory was achieved comprehensively"
The Road to Greatness
His journey to his Australian epic commenced well before following that year's Ashes on home soil
Though England triumphed, the opening batsman had an average below 25 with just one score over fifty
He desired better
"While cricket involves teamwork, personal performance creates the sensation that you must contribute adequately," he explains
Skill Development
Two days after the triumphant events, he returned facing countless of balls in the nets under Graham Gooch's guidance
Beginning performances were encouraging
He scored three centuries during winter tours in South Africa and Bangladesh
Crucial Turning Points
After coming back to England for that year's summer, the batsman performed poorly
During eight batting opportunities against Bangladesh and Pakistan, his highest score totaled just 29 runs
Scoreless overnight after the second day during the final Test versus Pakistan at The Oval, Cook believed this would be his concluding international appearance before being dropped
"I was sitting in the bar, trying to find the answer by drowning sorrows," he reveals
Critical Moment
His century guaranteed his seat for the Australian tour
England continued their preparations with two victories and one draw of their warm-up games in Australia
As the opening match began at the famous ground, they faced a Siddle hat-trick
Memorable Collaboration
Just before the third day's close, the opening pair started the English reply needing to overcome 221 runs
They achieved 19 without loss by day's end and followed up through a demonstration remembered in Ashes history
"I cannot recall the messages, our discussions," recalls Cook
Both left-handed batsmen accumulated 188 runs for the first wicket
The 235 without dismissal stood as the best performance by an Englishman in Australia in eight decades
Series Dominance
England exploited an incredible start during the following Test in Adelaide
When Anderson also nicked off the opposition player, the score read 2-3 and never recovered
The batsman proceeded his Brisbane success through a 148-run innings in a Test remembered for Kevin Pietersen dismantling the Australian bowling
The Final Triumph
Victory was possible the Ashes in Perth, however Johnson to indicate the trouble he would cause four years later
Then came possibly England's finest day during Ashes competition on Australian soil
At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the massive stadium of sports down under, during Boxing Day, the Australian team were dismissed for 98
"For ideal Boxing Days, this was it. Incredulity reigned when play concluded," says Cook
Ultimate Success
Driven by determination to claim victory, Cook excelled once more in Sydney
His 189 lifted England to 644, their record innings on Australian soil
The debate didn't concern whether England would triumph the game and series, but the timing
"The environment was electric," Cook remembers
"When Tremlett got the final batsman to secure victory, it was a moment of complete happiness"
Legacy and Recognition
Cook was player of the series
The remaining seven years in his international career included additional achievements
Following his international retirement, he was honored for sporting achievements
"{I couldn't have played any better|