The Legend of 766 - When Cook Conquered Australia
Alastair Cook's 766 runs by an Englishman in Australian conditions was only surpassed by Wally Hammond
Brisbane hasn't been a place that offers the Three Lions badly required hope for the Ashes
After defeat by Australia during the opening match, England need to regroup for a trip to the famous Gabba, a stadium where the English haven't triumphed for decades
English cricketers have frequently been easy prey at this challenging venue
Cook's Memorable Success
Within recent memory of dashed English dreams, hopes and athletes lies an inspirational story provided by a cricket hero
It is exactly the 15th anniversary of Sir Alastair Cook conquered the Gabba via a landmark 235 without loss, preserving the initial Test during that famous series paving England's path for their unique Ashes triumph down under during recent memory
Historic Achievement
This marked the start of Cook's triumphant Australian campaign; three hundred-plus scores totaling 766 runs
Wally Hammond is the only Englishman with higher run totals in a series in this country
The English triumphed 3-1, with all victories through innings victories
England hasn't achieved a Test here since that historic campaign
Personal Reflections
"You forget the challenging periods, the nervousness and anxiety accompanying that success," Cook remembers
"I reflect proudly. I played a significant part in a series when the English secured a 3-1 victory on Australian soil where each victory were won by an innings"
Path to Success
His journey to down under success started a year and a half before following that year's Ashes on home soil
Though England triumphed, the opening batsman scored under 25 per innings managing only one innings above 50
He sought improvement
"Cricket is a team game, the individuality generates the feeling like you want to pull your weight," he states
Skill Development
Shortly after the triumphant events, he was back hitting hundreds and hundreds bowls during training with Graham Gooch
Beginning performances were encouraging
Cook made three hundred-run innings during winter tours in South Africa and Bangladesh
Pivotal Instances
When Cook returned to British conditions during the 2010 season, Cook had a "stinker"
In eight innings versus Bangladesh and Pakistan, his top innings totaled just 29 runs
Scoreless overnight following the second day's play in the third match against Pakistan at the famous ground, Cook was convinced this would be his last Test innings ahead of potential omission
"There I was in the bar, attempting to discover the answer through drinking," he reveals
The Turning Point
Cook's 110 ensured his position in the squad down under
Preparation continued by winning two and drawing one of their warm-up games on Australian soil
Come the first Test at the famous ground, they were hit by Peter Siddle's hat-trick
Memorable Collaboration
Just before day three's conclusion, both batsmen started the English reply trailing by 221 runs
The score stood at 19-0 at stumps then continued with a performance engraved in cricket memory
"My memory doesn't retain the messages, our discussions," recalls Cook
Both left-handed batsmen accumulated 188 runs for the first wicket
The 235 without dismissal represented the top score by an Englishman in Australia in eight decades
Total Command
England capitalised on an astonishing first morning during the following Test at Adelaide
When Anderson also nicked off Michael Clarke, the score read 2-3 and couldn't recover
Cook followed up his Brisbane success with 148 in a Test remembered featuring Pietersen's destruction of the opposition bowlers
Series Conclusion
Victory was possible the series in Western Australia, however Johnson to foreshadow the havoc from future encounters
The subsequent events included arguably England's best performance in Ashes history down under
At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the enormous ground of Australian cricket, and on Boxing Day, the hosts were blown away for 98
"If Carlsberg did Boxing Days, it was that. Amazement prevailed at the end of the day," recalls Cook
The Final Victory
Driven by determination to win the urn, Cook excelled once more at the SCG
His score of 189 contributed to England's 644, their record innings in a Test in Australia
The uncertainty wasn't whether England would triumph the game and series, but the timing
"The atmosphere was incredible," says Cook
"Following Tremlett's wicket of Michael Beer to win the match, it was a moment of absolute joy"
Enduring Impact
The batsman received top accolades
The following seven seasons in his international career included additional achievements
After retiring internationally, he was honored for cricket contributions
"{I couldn't have played any better|