The Legend of 766 - Cook's Triumph in Australia
Alastair Cook's impressive 766 scored by an English batsman on an Ashes tour was only surpassed by cricket legend Wally Hammond
The Queensland capital isn't a location providing England crucial Ashes optimism
Following the loss to Australia at the series start, England need to regroup before heading to the famous Gabba, a venue where England have not won for decades
Men wearing three lions have frequently been lambs to the slaughter at the Gabbatoir
The Inspirational Achievement
Throughout modern times of broken English hopes, aspirations and players is a source of inspiration achieved by a shining knight
It is exactly 15 years since Sir Alastair Cook mastered the Gabba through a defining unbeaten 235, preserving the initial Test of 2010-11 and setting England on course for their unique Ashes triumph on Australian soil during recent memory
Record-Breaking Performance
It was the beginning of Cook's triumphant Australian campaign; three hundreds totaling 766 runs
The legendary Hammond stands as the only Briton with higher run totals in a series on Australian soil
England won 3-1, where each success by an innings
The team hasn't secured a Test victory there since that memorable series
Looking Back
"One tends to forget the tough times, the apprehension and concern that went into that," the cricketer reflects
"With pride I remember. I made an important impact in a tournament that saw England won 3-1 in Australia where each victory were won by an innings"
Path to Success
The path toward Australian glory started a year and a half before after the 2009 series in the UK
England won, Cook scored under 25 per innings with just one score over fifty
He wanted more
"Cricket is a team game, individual contribution generates the feeling that personal responsibility matters," he states
Technical Transformation
Two days after the victory celebrations, he was back hitting hundreds and hundreds deliveries in practice alongside Graham Gooch
The initial results were encouraging
He scored three hundred-run innings on the 2009-10 winter tours against South African and Bangladeshi teams
Crucial Turning Points
When Cook returned to home soil for that year's summer, Cook performed poorly
In eight innings versus Bangladesh and Pakistan, his best performance reached only 29
Scoreless overnight after the second day during the final Test against Pakistan in London, the batsman felt certain this would be his last Test innings prior to selection
"There I was at the bar, attempting to discover the solution through drinking," he confesses
Critical Moment
His century secured his place for the Australian tour
Preparation continued by winning two and drawing one in practice matches on Australian soil
As the opening match began in Brisbane, they were hit by a Siddle hat-trick
Historic Partnership
Shortly prior to the end of the third day, Cook and Strauss started the English reply trailing by 221 runs
They achieved 19 without loss at stumps and followed up with a performance remembered in Ashes history
"My memory doesn't retain any instructions, anything of what we spoke about," Cook remembers
The left-handers added 188 together
His unbeaten 235 stood as the best performance achieved by a Briton in Australia in eight decades
Series Dominance
The English took advantage of an incredible start during the following Test at Adelaide
Following Anderson's additional wicket the Australian batsman, the score read 2-3 and couldn't recover
Cook followed up his Brisbane success by scoring 148 in a Test remembered highlighting Pietersen's dominance over the Australian bowling
The Final Triumph
The English might have secured the urn in Perth, only for Mitchell Johnson to indicate the trouble from future encounters
Then came perhaps England's single greatest day of Ashes cricket down under
At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 100,000-seater cathedral of Australian cricket, and on Boxing Day, the hosts were blown away for 98
"For ideal Boxing Days, that defined it. There was disbelief as the day ended," Cook remembers
Ultimate Success
Driven by determination to secure the Ashes, Cook was at it again in Sydney
The 189-run innings helped England reach 644, their record innings on Australian soil
The debate didn't concern if victory would come the game and series, rather when
"The atmosphere was incredible," Cook remembers
"After Tremlett dismissed the final batsman to claim triumph, it represented an instant of absolute joy"
Historical Significance
The batsman received top accolades
The following seven seasons of his cricket journey featured further accomplishments
After retiring internationally, Cook was knighted for services to cricket
"{I couldn't have played any better|