The Legend of 766 - Cook's Triumph in Australia

Brisbane is not a location providing the English team badly required hope for the Ashes

After defeat by the Australian side at the series start, the tourists need to regroup for a trip to the Gabba, a ground where England have not won for decades

English cricketers have habitually been lambs to the slaughter in Brisbane

A Shining Knight's Achievement

Within recent memory of dashed English dreams, dreams and bodies is a source of inspiration achieved by a shining knight

It is exactly the 15th anniversary of Alastair Cook dominated in Brisbane via a landmark unbeaten 235, rescuing the opening match during that famous series and setting England on course for their unique Ashes triumph on Australian soil in the past 38 years

Unforgettable Series

This marked the start of Cook's triumphant circumnavigation of Australia; three hundred-plus scores accumulating 766 runs

The legendary Hammond remains the sole English player who has made more runs during a Test series in this country

England won 3-1, with all victories through innings victories

England hasn't achieved a Test here since that memorable series

Looking Back

"One tends to forget the challenging periods, the nervousness and anxiety accompanying that success," Cook remembers

"With pride I remember. I played a significant part in a tournament that saw the English secured a 3-1 victory on Australian soil with every match was achieved comprehensively"

Journey to Excellence

Cook's road to his Australian epic began 18 months earlier following the 2009 Ashes on home soil

Though England triumphed, the opening batsman had an average below 25 achieving merely one performance above 50

He desired better

"Cricket is a team game, the individuality does make you feel that you must contribute adequately," he states

Technical Transformation

Two days after the triumphant events, he was back hitting hundreds and hundreds deliveries in practice with Graham Gooch

The initial results were encouraging

He scored three hundreds during winter tours against South African and Bangladeshi teams

Crucial Turning Points

After coming back to home soil for the 2010 summer, the left-hander had a "stinker"

Across eight appearances against Bangladesh and Pakistan, his best performance totaled just 29 runs

Without runs following the second day during the final Test facing Pakistan in London, the batsman felt certain this would be his concluding international appearance ahead of potential omission

"I was sitting at the bar, seeking the resolution by drowning sorrows," he admits

The Turning Point

His century secured his place on the plane to Australia

The team maintained preparations with two victories and one draw in practice matches on Australian soil

When the first Test arrived in Brisbane, they encountered a Siddle hat-trick

Historic Partnership

Shortly prior to the end of the third day, both batsmen started the English reply with a deficit of 221 runs

The score stood at 19-0 when play concluded then continued with an exhibition remembered in Ashes history

"My memory doesn't retain specific guidance, our discussions," says Cook

Both left-handed batsmen contributed 188 together

His unbeaten 235 stood as the best performance by an Englishman in Australia for 82 years

Series Dominance

England capitalised on an astonishing first morning during the following Test in Adelaide

When Anderson also nicked off the Australian batsman, the hosts stood at 2-3 and never recovered

Cook followed up his Brisbane heroics by scoring 148 in a famous match highlighting Pietersen's dominance over the opposition bowlers

Series Conclusion

The English might have secured the urn in Perth, only for Mitchell Johnson to foreshadow the havoc he would cause four years later

The subsequent events included perhaps England's single greatest day in Ashes history on Australian soil

At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the enormous ground of Australian cricket, on the holiday, the home side collapsed to 98 all out

"For ideal Boxing Days, this was it. There was disbelief at the end of the day," Cook remembers

The Final Victory

Motivated by purpose to secure the Ashes, the batsman performed brilliantly at the SCG

The 189-run innings contributed to England's 644, their best score during Australian Tests

The uncertainty wasn't if England would win both match and urn, rather when

"The atmosphere was incredible," says Cook

"When Tremlett got the final batsman to secure victory, that was a time of pure elation"

Historical Significance

He earned series honors

The following seven seasons in his international career featured other milestones

Post-cricket career, he was honored for services to cricket

"{I couldn't have played any better|