766 and All That - When Cook Conquered Down Under
Alastair Cook's 766 runs from an English player on an Ashes tour is only bettered by the great Wally Hammond
Brisbane is not a location providing England some much-needed confidence in the series
In the wake of losing to the Australian side at the series start, the tourists have to bounce back for a trip to the famous Gabba, a ground where victory has eluded England for decades
Players representing England have frequently been lambs to the slaughter at the Gabbatoir
The Inspirational Triumph
Within recent memory of dashed English dreams, aspirations and players is a source of inspiration delivered by a cricket hero
It is exactly a decade and a half after Alastair Cook conquered the Gabba through a defining unbeaten 235, rescuing the opening match from the 2010-11 series establishing England's trajectory to their only Ashes series win in Australia in the past 38 years
Historic Achievement
It commenced of the victorious circumnavigation of Australia; three hundred-plus scores totaling 766 runs
Wally Hammond stands as the only Briton to score more runs in a series on Australian soil
England won 3-1, where each success through innings victories
They have not won success at this venue since those glory days
Cook's Memories
"One tends to forget the tough times, the nervousness and anxiety involved in that achievement," Cook remembers
"With pride I remember. I made an important impact during a campaign where England triumphed 3-1 on Australian soil and all three games came through innings wins"
Journey to Excellence
The path to his Australian epic began 18 months earlier after the 2009 series in the UK
Though England triumphed, the opener had an average below 25 managing only one innings exceeding half-century
He sought improvement
"While cricket involves teamwork, individual contribution creates the sensation that you must contribute adequately," he explains
Game Improvement
Just 48 hours following the celebrations, he was back practicing numerous bowls during training under Graham Gooch's guidance
The initial results showed promise
He scored three hundreds on the 2009-10 winter tours against South African and Bangladeshi teams
Career-Defining Moments
After coming back to home soil during the 2010 season, the batsman performed poorly
In eight innings facing these opponents, his top innings totaled just 29 runs
Without runs following the second day's play in the third match versus Pakistan at the famous ground, Cook believed it might be his final Test performance ahead of potential omission
"I was sitting in the bar, seeking the answer through drinking," he reveals
Decisive Instance
The 110-run innings secured his place in the squad down under
The team maintained preparations through successful warm-ups during preparatory contests down under
As the opening match began in Brisbane, they were hit by three wickets from Siddle
Memorable Collaboration
Shortly prior to the third day's close, the opening pair began England's second batting effort needing to overcome 221 runs
They reached 19-0 when play concluded and proceeded with a performance engraved in cricket memory
"I cannot recall any instructions, our conversations," says Cook
The left-handers added 188 together
His unbeaten 235 stood as the best performance by an Englishman down under in eight decades
Complete Control
England exploited an astonishing first morning in the second match in South Australia
When Anderson also nicked off Michael Clarke, the hosts stood at 2-3 and struggled throughout
Cook followed up his Brisbane heroics through a 148-run innings in a Test remembered highlighting Pietersen's dominance over the Australian bowling
Series Conclusion
England could have retained the Ashes in Perth, however Johnson to foreshadow the havoc from future encounters
The subsequent events included arguably England's best performance in Ashes history on Australian soil
At the MCG, the massive stadium of Australian cricket, and on Boxing Day, the Australian team were dismissed for 98
"If perfection existed for Boxing Day, this was it. There was disbelief at the end of the day," says Cook
Series Conclusion
Driven by determination to claim victory, Cook excelled once more at the Sydney Cricket Ground
His score of 189 contributed to England's 644, their record innings during Australian Tests
The uncertainty wasn't if victory would come the match and the Ashes, rather when
"The environment was electric," says Cook
"After Tremlett dismissed the final batsman to claim triumph, that was a time of complete happiness"
Historical Significance
Cook was player of the series
The subsequent seven years in his international career included additional achievements
After retiring internationally, he was honored for sporting achievements
"{I couldn't have played any better|