Remembering 766 - When Cook Conquered Australia
Alastair Cook's record-breaking 766 from an English player in Australian conditions ranks second only to the great Wally Hammond
The Queensland capital isn't a place that offers England crucial confidence in the series
In the wake of losing to the hosts at the series start, the visiting team need to regroup ahead of visiting the Gabba, a venue where the English haven't triumphed since 1986
English cricketers have frequently been easy prey at this challenging venue
Cook's Memorable Achievement
Throughout modern times of English disappointments, aspirations and players exists a motivational tale achieved by a cricket hero
Today commemorates a decade and a half after Alastair Cook dominated in Brisbane through a defining 235 not out, saving the first Test from the 2010-11 series and setting England on course toward their sole series victory down under in the past 38 years
Record-Breaking Performance
This marked the start of Cook's triumphant tour of Australia; three hundred-plus scores totaling 766 runs
Wally Hammond remains the sole English player who has made more runs throughout a campaign down under
England won 3-1, where each success by an innings
England hasn't achieved a Test victory there since that memorable series
Looking Back
"People overlook the tough times, the nervousness and anxiety that went into that," Cook remembers
"I reflect proudly. I made an important impact during a campaign where England triumphed 3-1 in Australia with every match came through innings wins"
Journey to Excellence
Cook's road to his Australian epic started a year and a half before at the end of the 2009 Ashes on home soil
England won, the opener scored under 25 per innings achieving merely one performance exceeding half-century
He desired better
"While cricket involves teamwork, individual contribution generates the feeling that you must contribute adequately," he states
Technical Transformation
Shortly after the victory celebrations, he was back at work hitting hundreds and hundreds deliveries in practice under Graham Gooch's guidance
Beginning performances were encouraging
Cook made three hundreds on the 2009-10 winter tours to South Africa and Bangladesh
Crucial Turning Points
After coming back to home soil during the 2010 season, the batsman performed poorly
In eight innings facing these opponents, his top innings was 29
Scoreless overnight after the second day during the final Test versus Pakistan in London, Cook believed this would be his last Test innings ahead of potential omission
"There I was at the bar, trying to find the answer through drinking," he reveals
Critical Moment
The 110-run innings ensured his position for the Australian tour
England continued their preparations with two victories and one draw of their warm-up games in Australia
When the first Test arrived at the famous ground, they faced a Siddle hat-trick
Historic Partnership
Shortly prior to the third day's close, Cook and Strauss began England's second batting effort needing to overcome 221 runs
They reached 19-0 by day's end and proceeded with a performance etched in Ashes folklore
"I cannot recall any instructions, anything of what we spoke about," Cook remembers
The left-handers accumulated 188 runs for the first wicket
His unbeaten 235 was the highest score achieved by a Briton in Australia for 82 years
Series Dominance
England capitalised on an astonishing first morning in the second match in Adelaide
After Anderson also dismissed the Australian batsman, Australia were 2-3 and struggled throughout
He continued his Brisbane heroics by scoring 148 in a famous match for Kevin Pietersen dismantling the Australian bowling
The Final Triumph
Victory was possible the series in Western Australia, but Mitchell Johnson to foreshadow the havoc he would cause four years later
What followed was 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 dismissed for 98
"For ideal Boxing Days, this was it. Incredulity reigned as the day ended," Cook remembers
The Final Victory
Motivated by purpose to claim victory, the batsman performed brilliantly in Sydney
The 189-run innings lifted England to 644, their record innings during Australian Tests
The uncertainty wasn't if England would win both match and urn, but the timing
"The feeling was unbelievable," Cook remembers
"After Tremlett dismissed the last player to secure victory, it represented an instant of complete happiness"
Legacy and Recognition
Cook was player of the series
The subsequent seven years of his cricket journey included further accomplishments
Following his international retirement, he was honored for services to cricket
"{I couldn't have played any better|