766 and All That - When Cook Conquered Australia
The legendary record-breaking 766 from an English player on an Ashes tour is only bettered by cricket legend Wally Hammond
Brisbane hasn't been a place that offers England crucial confidence in the series
In the wake of losing to the hosts during the opening match, the visiting team need to regroup ahead of visiting Brisbane's Gabba, a stadium where victory has eluded England for over thirty years
Players representing England have habitually been lambs to the slaughter in Brisbane
The Inspirational Success
Throughout modern times of English disappointments, dreams and bodies exists a motivational tale achieved by a cricket hero
Today commemorates a decade and a half after Sir Alastair Cook dominated in Brisbane through a defining 235 without loss, rescuing the opening match from the 2010-11 series establishing England's trajectory to their only Ashes series win on Australian soil during recent memory
Record-Breaking Performance
It commenced of the victorious Australian campaign; three centuries accumulating 766 runs
Wally Hammond stands as the only Briton with higher run totals in a series in this country
England won 3-1, where each success via comprehensive wins
They have not won success at this venue since that historic campaign
Looking Back
"You forget the challenging periods, the tension and worry involved in that achievement," the cricketer reflects
"With pride I remember. I made an important impact in a series when England triumphed 3-1 down under with every match were won by an innings"
The Road to Greatness
The path to down under success began 18 months earlier after that year's Ashes on home soil
Despite English victory, the opener scored under 25 per innings with just one score above 50
He sought improvement
"While cricket involves teamwork, the individuality creates the sensation like you want to pull your weight," he notes
Game Improvement
Shortly after the victory celebrations, he was back at work practicing numerous of balls in the nets with Graham Gooch
Early outcomes proved positive
He scored three hundreds on the 2009-10 winter tours to South Africa and Bangladesh
Pivotal Instances
Upon his return to home soil during the 2010 season, Cook struggled significantly
During eight batting opportunities versus Bangladesh and Pakistan, his top innings was 29
Scoreless overnight after the second day's play of the third Test facing Pakistan at The Oval, Cook believed he was playing his final Test performance ahead of potential omission
"I was sitting in the bar, seeking the answer in the bottom of a beer bottle," he confesses
The Turning Point
The 110-run innings secured his place on the plane to Australia
The team maintained preparations with two victories and one draw of their warm-up games on Australian soil
As the opening match began in Brisbane, they were hit by a Siddle hat-trick
Memorable Collaboration
Shortly prior to the third day's close, both batsmen opened England's second innings trailing by 221 runs
They reached 19-0 at stumps then continued through a demonstration etched in Ashes folklore
"I don't remember specific guidance, our conversations," says Cook
The left-handers contributed 188 for the first wicket
His unbeaten 235 was the highest score achieved by a Briton down under in eight decades
Series Dominance
England capitalised on an astonishing first morning during the following Test in Adelaide
When Anderson also nicked off the opposition player, the hosts stood at 2-3 and couldn't recover
He continued his Queensland achievement by scoring 148 during a memorable Test featuring Pietersen's destruction of the opposition bowlers
The Final Triumph
England could have retained the Ashes in Perth, however Johnson to foreshadow the havoc from future encounters
Then came perhaps England's single greatest day of Ashes cricket in Australia
At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 100,000-seater cathedral of Australian cricket, on the holiday, the hosts collapsed to 98 all out
"If Carlsberg did Boxing Days, this was it. Incredulity reigned when play concluded," says Cook
The Final Victory
Driven by determination to win the urn, Cook was at it again in Sydney
His score of 189 contributed to England's 644, their best score during Australian Tests
The uncertainty wasn't if England would win both match and urn, but the timing
"The atmosphere was incredible," recalls Cook
"When Tremlett got the last player to claim triumph, it represented an instant of absolute joy"
Enduring Impact
The batsman received top accolades
The subsequent seven years of his Test career featured additional achievements
Following his international retirement, Cook was knighted for cricket contributions
"{I couldn't have played any better|