The Legend of 766 - Cook's Dominance of Down Under

Alastair Cook batting

The legendary record-breaking 766 from an English player on an Ashes tour ranks second only to cricket legend Wally Hammond

Chief Cricket Reporter reporting from Brisbane

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The Queensland capital isn't a place that offers England badly required confidence in the series

Following the loss to Australia during the opening match, the tourists need to regroup ahead of visiting the Gabba, a stadium where victory has eluded England since 1986

Players representing England have frequently been lambs to the slaughter in Brisbane

A Shining Knight's Triumph

Throughout modern times of dashed English dreams, aspirations and players is a source of inspiration achieved by an exceptional player

It is exactly a decade and a half after the legendary Cook conquered the Gabba through a defining unbeaten 235, rescuing the opening match from the 2010-11 series paving England's path to their only Ashes series win on Australian soil in the past 38 years

Unforgettable Series

It commenced of the victorious circumnavigation of Australia; three centuries and 766 runs

Cricket great Hammond stands as the only Briton to score more runs throughout a campaign down under

Victory came 3-1, with every win by an innings

They have not won a Test here since that memorable series

Cook's Memories

"You forget the tough times, the tension and worry accompanying that success," the cricketer reflects

"I look back with pride. My contribution was substantial in a tournament that saw England won 3-1 in Australia where each victory was achieved comprehensively"

Path to Success

Cook's road toward Australian glory began 18 months earlier at the end of that year's Ashes in England

Though England triumphed, the opening batsman scored under 25 per innings achieving merely one performance above 50

He desired better

"Despite cricket's collective nature, individual contribution generates the feeling that personal responsibility matters," he states

Technical Transformation

Two days after the triumphant events, he was back at work practicing numerous of balls in the nets with Graham Gooch

Beginning performances were encouraging

Cook made three hundreds on overseas campaigns against South African and Bangladeshi teams

Career-Defining Moments

When Cook returned to England for that year's summer, the batsman had a "stinker"

During eight batting opportunities versus Bangladesh and Pakistan, his best performance reached only 29

Scoreless overnight at the end of day two in the third match against Pakistan at The Oval, Cook was convinced this would be his concluding international appearance before being dropped

"There I was at the bar, seeking the resolution by drowning sorrows," he reveals

The Turning Point

Cook's 110 secured his place in the squad down under

England continued their preparations by winning two and drawing one of their warm-up games on Australian soil

As the opening match began at the Gabba, they faced Peter Siddle's hat-trick

Memorable Collaboration

Shortly prior to the third day's close, both batsmen opened England's second innings needing to overcome 221 runs

They reached 19-0 when play concluded and followed up with a performance engraved in cricket memory

"My memory doesn't retain specific guidance, our discussions," Cook remembers

The opening pair added 188 in their partnership

The 235 without dismissal represented the top score by an Englishman down under since the 1930s

Complete Control

England capitalised on an incredible start during the following Test at Adelaide

After Anderson also dismissed Michael Clarke, Australia were 2-3 and couldn't recover

Cook followed up his Brisbane success with 148 in a famous match for Kevin Pietersen dismantling the opposition bowlers

The Final Triumph

England could have retained the urn in Perth, but Mitchell Johnson to preview the destruction from future encounters

Then came possibly England's finest day of Ashes cricket on Australian soil

In Melbourne, the massive stadium of sports down under, and on Boxing Day, the home side were dismissed for 98

"If Carlsberg did Boxing Days, that defined it. Amazement prevailed at the end of the day," says Cook

The Final Victory

Driven by determination to claim victory, the batsman performed brilliantly at the SCG

His score of 189 helped England reach 644, their record innings in a Test in Australia

The question was not if victory would come the game and series, but when

"The atmosphere was incredible," says Cook

"After Tremlett dismissed the last player to secure victory, it represented an instant of absolute joy"

Historical Significance

He earned series honors

The following seven seasons in his international career featured further accomplishments

Following his international retirement, he was honored for services to cricket

"{I couldn't have played any better|

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