Remembering 766 - Cook's Dominance of Down Under
The legendary impressive 766 by an Englishman during an Ashes series ranks second only to cricket legend Wally Hammond
Brisbane hasn't been a location providing the English team badly required Ashes optimism
In the wake of losing to Australia at the series start, England need to regroup before heading to the famous Gabba, a venue where England have not won for over thirty years
English cricketers have frequently been outmatched opponents at the Gabbatoir
A Shining Knight's Success
Within recent memory of broken English hopes, hopes and athletes exists a motivational tale delivered by a cricket hero
It is exactly the 15th anniversary of Sir Alastair Cook mastered the Gabba through a defining unbeaten 235, preserving the initial Test from the 2010-11 series and setting England on course toward their sole series victory down under over nearly four decades
Record-Breaking Performance
This marked the start of the victorious Australian campaign; three hundreds accumulating 766 runs
The legendary Hammond remains the sole English player to score more runs throughout a campaign on Australian soil
England won 3-1, with every win by an innings
The team hasn't secured a Test victory there since that memorable series
Personal Reflections
"One tends to forget the tough times, the tension and worry that went into that," Cook recalls
"With pride I remember. My contribution was substantial during a campaign where England won 3-1 in Australia with every match came through innings wins"
Path to Success
The path toward Australian glory began 18 months earlier following the 2009 series in England
Though England triumphed, the opening batsman averaged less than 25 achieving merely one performance exceeding half-century
He wanted more
"While cricket involves teamwork, the individuality does make you feel like you want to pull your weight," he notes
Game Improvement
Two days after the triumphant events, he was back practicing numerous bowls during training under Graham Gooch's guidance
The initial results showed promise
Cook made three hundreds on the 2009-10 winter tours against South African and Bangladeshi teams
Pivotal Instances
Upon his return to England for the 2010 summer, the batsman had a "stinker"
During eight batting opportunities against Bangladesh and Pakistan, his best performance reached only 29
Without runs at the end of the second day's play in the third match against Pakistan in London, Cook was convinced he was playing his final Test performance before being dropped
"There I was in the hospitality area, seeking the solution in the bottom of a beer bottle," he confesses
Critical Moment
The 110-run innings ensured his position on the plane to Australia
The team maintained preparations with two victories and one draw during preparatory contests in Australia
Come the first Test at the famous ground, they encountered a Siddle hat-trick
Record-Breaking Stand
Just before the end of the third day, the opening pair opened England's second innings trailing by 221 runs
They achieved 19 without loss at stumps and followed up through a demonstration etched in Ashes folklore
"My memory doesn't retain specific guidance, anything of what we spoke about," recalls Cook
The opening pair added 188 for the first wicket
His unbeaten 235 was the highest score by an Englishman down under since the 1930s
Series Dominance
The English took advantage of a remarkable opening session of the second Test in South Australia
When Anderson also nicked off the Australian batsman, the hosts stood at 2-3 and couldn't recover
Cook followed up his Brisbane success with 148 in a famous match for Kevin Pietersen dismantling the Australian attack
The Final Triumph
England could have retained the urn in Perth, but Mitchell Johnson to indicate the trouble he would cause four years later
The subsequent events included arguably England's best performance during Ashes competition on Australian soil
At the MCG, the massive stadium of Australian sport, during Boxing Day, the hosts collapsed to 98 all out
"For ideal Boxing Days, that defined it. There was disbelief as the day ended," Cook remembers
Ultimate Success
Driven by determination to win the urn, Cook excelled once more in Sydney
His score of 189 lifted England to 644, their highest total during Australian Tests
The debate didn't concern whether England would triumph both match and urn, rather when
"The feeling was unbelievable," recalls Cook
"When Tremlett got the final batsman to secure victory, it represented an instant of pure elation"
Historical Significance
The batsman received top accolades
The remaining seven years of his cricket journey featured other milestones
Post-cricket career, he was honored for cricket contributions
"{I couldn't have played any better|