766 and All That - Cook's Triumph in the Australian Team
Sir Alastair's impressive 766 scored by an English batsman on an Ashes tour ranks second only to cricket legend Wally Hammond
Brisbane hasn't been a location providing the English team crucial confidence in the series
In the wake of losing to Australia during the opening match, the visiting team have to bounce back ahead of visiting the Gabba, a stadium where England have not won for decades
Men wearing three lions have often become lambs to the slaughter in Brisbane
The Inspirational Success
Throughout modern times of broken English hopes, aspirations and players exists a motivational tale achieved by an exceptional player
This marks a decade and a half after Sir Alastair Cook conquered the Gabba with a career-defining 235 not out, rescuing the opening match during that famous series establishing England's trajectory for their unique Ashes triumph in Australia during recent memory
Historic Achievement
This marked the start of the victorious Australian campaign; three hundred-plus scores totaling 766 runs
The legendary Hammond is the only Englishman who has made more runs in a series on Australian soil
England won 3-1, where each success by an innings
They have not won a Test victory there since that memorable series
Personal Reflections
"You forget the tough times, the nervousness and anxiety that went into that," Cook recalls
"I reflect proudly. I made an important impact in a tournament that saw the English secured a 3-1 victory down under and all three games was achieved comprehensively"
The Road to Greatness
The path to his Australian epic commenced well before at the end of the 2009 Ashes on home soil
Despite English victory, the opening batsman scored under 25 per innings achieving merely one performance over fifty
He desired better
"Cricket is a team game, the individuality creates the sensation that personal responsibility matters," he states
Skill Development
Shortly after the triumphant events, he returned hitting hundreds and hundreds of balls in the nets with Graham Gooch
Early outcomes showed promise
The batsman achieved three hundred-run innings on the 2009-10 winter tours in South Africa and Bangladesh
Career-Defining Moments
When Cook returned to home soil during the 2010 season, the left-hander had a "stinker"
In eight innings versus Bangladesh and Pakistan, his best performance totaled just 29 runs
Without runs after the second day in the third match versus Pakistan in London, Cook was convinced it might be his concluding international appearance prior to selection
"I was sitting in the bar, attempting to discover the resolution through drinking," he admits
Critical Moment
His century secured his place for the Australian tour
The team maintained preparations by winning two and drawing one during preparatory contests down under
When the first Test arrived at the Gabba, they encountered three wickets from Siddle
Record-Breaking Stand
Just before the end of the third day, both batsmen opened England's second innings with a deficit of 221 runs
The score stood at 19-0 at stumps and proceeded with a performance etched in Ashes folklore
"My memory doesn't retain specific guidance, anything of what we spoke about," says Cook
Both left-handed batsmen added 188 together
His unbeaten 235 represented the top score by an Englishman down under since the 1930s
Complete Control
The English took advantage of an astonishing first morning during the following Test in South Australia
When Anderson also nicked off Michael Clarke, the hosts stood at 2-3 and couldn't recover
He continued his Queensland achievement with 148 in a Test remembered for Kevin Pietersen dismantling the Australian bowling
The Final Triumph
The English might have secured the series in Western Australia, only for Mitchell Johnson to preview the destruction he would cause four years later
The subsequent events included perhaps England's single greatest day during Ashes competition on Australian soil
At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the enormous ground of Australian sport, on the holiday, the home side were dismissed for 98
"If perfection existed for Boxing Day, this was it. Incredulity reigned at the end of the day," says Cook
Ultimate Success
Driven by determination to win the urn, Cook was at it again at the Sydney Cricket Ground
His 189 helped England reach 644, their highest total on Australian soil
The debate didn't concern if victory would come the game and series, rather when
"The feeling was unbelievable," recalls Cook
"When Tremlett got Michael Beer to claim triumph, it was a moment of pure elation"
Legacy and Recognition
The batsman received top accolades
The subsequent seven years of his cricket journey featured further accomplishments
Following his international retirement, Cook was knighted for services to cricket
"{I couldn't have played any better|