The Legend of 766 - When Cook Conquered the Australian Team
Alastair Cook's 766 runs from an English player in Australian conditions is only bettered by the great Wally Hammond
The Queensland capital isn't a city to give the English team badly required hope for the Ashes
After defeat by the Australian side in the first Test, England have to bounce back before heading to the Gabba, a ground where England have not won since 1986
English cricketers have habitually been easy prey at this challenging venue
A Shining Knight's Success
Within recent memory of English disappointments, aspirations and players exists a motivational tale provided by a cricket hero
It is exactly the 15th anniversary of Sir Alastair Cook conquered the Gabba via a landmark 235 not out, saving the first Test of 2010-11 establishing England's trajectory toward their sole series victory down under during recent memory
Record-Breaking Performance
This marked the start of the victorious Australian campaign; three centuries and 766 runs
Wally Hammond stands as the only Briton who has made more runs throughout a campaign down under
Victory came 3-1, with every win through innings victories
They have not won a Test victory there since those glory days
Personal Reflections
"You forget the difficult moments, the nervousness and anxiety accompanying that success," the cricketer reflects
"I reflect proudly. I made an important impact in a tournament that saw the English secured a 3-1 victory on Australian soil where each victory came through innings wins"
Path to Success
His journey to down under success began 18 months earlier following that year's Ashes in the UK
Though England triumphed, the opener scored under 25 per innings achieving merely one performance exceeding half-century
He sought improvement
"Despite cricket's collective nature, personal performance generates the feeling like you want to pull your weight," he notes
Technical Transformation
Shortly after the celebrations, he was back at work practicing numerous bowls during training alongside Graham Gooch
The initial results showed promise
Cook made three hundred-run innings on the 2009-10 winter tours in South Africa and Bangladesh
Pivotal Instances
When Cook returned to home soil for that year's summer, the batsman had a "stinker"
Across eight appearances against Bangladesh and Pakistan, his best performance reached only 29
Scoreless overnight at the end of the second day of the third Test facing Pakistan at the famous ground, Cook believed he was playing his concluding international appearance prior to selection
"I found myself at the bar, attempting to discover the answer in the bottom of a beer bottle," he confesses
The Turning Point
Cook's 110 guaranteed his seat on the plane to Australia
England continued their preparations with two victories and one draw of their warm-up games in Australia
As the opening match began at the Gabba, they faced a Siddle hat-trick
Record-Breaking Stand
Shortly prior to the third day's close, both batsmen opened England's second innings with a deficit of 221 runs
They reached 19-0 at stumps and proceeded through a demonstration engraved in cricket memory
"I cannot recall specific guidance, our conversations," says Cook
The left-handers added 188 in their partnership
His unbeaten 235 was the highest score achieved by a Briton in Australia since the 1930s
Series Dominance
England capitalised on an astonishing first morning in the second match 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 Queensland achievement with 148 in a Test remembered featuring Pietersen's destruction of the opposition bowlers
Ultimate Victory
England could have retained the Ashes in Perth, however Johnson to indicate the trouble from future encounters
What followed was perhaps England's single greatest day in Ashes history down under
At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 100,000-seater cathedral of sports down under, and on Boxing Day, the Australian team collapsed to 98 all out
"For ideal Boxing Days, this was it. Amazement prevailed at the end of the day," says Cook
Ultimate Success
Driven by determination to win the urn, the batsman performed brilliantly at the SCG
The 189-run innings contributed to England's 644, their highest total during Australian Tests
The debate didn't concern if England would win the game and series, rather when
"The feeling was unbelievable," recalls Cook
"After Tremlett dismissed Michael Beer to claim triumph, that was a time of pure elation"
Legacy and Recognition
He earned series honors
The remaining seven years in his international career featured other milestones
Post-cricket career, he received a knighthood for cricket contributions
"{I couldn't have played any better|