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Brisbane is not a place that offers the English team badly required hope for the Ashes

After defeat by the Australian side at the series start, the visiting team must stir themselves ahead of visiting Brisbane's Gabba, a stadium where England have not won for decades

Players representing England have habitually been lambs to the slaughter at the Gabbatoir

The Inspirational Success

Among a recent history of dashed English dreams, aspirations and players exists a motivational tale provided by a cricket hero

This marks a decade and a half after the legendary Cook dominated in Brisbane with a career-defining unbeaten 235, saving the first Test of 2010-11 establishing England's trajectory for their unique Ashes triumph on Australian soil during recent memory

Historic Achievement

It was the beginning of his successful tour of Australia; three centuries accumulating 766 runs

Wally Hammond is the only Englishman who has made more runs throughout a campaign down under

Victory came 3-1, with all victories by an innings

The team hasn't secured success at this venue since those glory days

Personal Reflections

"People overlook the difficult moments, the tension and worry involved in that achievement," Cook recalls

"I look back with pride. I played a significant part during a campaign where the English secured a 3-1 victory down under with every match was achieved comprehensively"

The Road to Greatness

Cook's road toward Australian glory commenced well before following that year's Ashes on home soil

England won, the opener had an average below 25 managing only one innings exceeding half-century

He wanted more

"Despite cricket's collective nature, personal performance creates the sensation like you want to pull your weight," he notes

Game Improvement

Two days after the celebrations, he was back at work hitting hundreds and hundreds of balls in the nets with Graham Gooch

Early outcomes showed promise

The batsman achieved three centuries on the 2009-10 winter tours to South Africa and Bangladesh

Pivotal Instances

When Cook returned to British conditions for the 2010 summer, Cook performed poorly

In eight innings facing these opponents, his best performance was 29

Without runs at the end of the second day during the final Test facing Pakistan in London, Cook believed he was playing his final Test performance prior to selection

"I found myself in the hospitality area, trying to find the answer by drowning sorrows," he admits

The Turning Point

His century guaranteed his seat for the Australian tour

Preparation continued through successful warm-ups of their warm-up games in Australia

When the first Test arrived at the Gabba, they encountered a Siddle hat-trick

Memorable Collaboration

Just before the end of the third day, the opening pair started the English reply with a deficit of 221 runs

They reached 19-0 when play concluded then continued with a performance remembered in Ashes history

"I cannot recall the messages, our discussions," recalls Cook

The left-handers accumulated 188 runs in their partnership

Cook's 235 not out represented the top score achieved by a Briton down under for 82 years

Series Dominance

England exploited a remarkable opening session in the second match in South Australia

Following Anderson's additional wicket Michael Clarke, the score read 2-3 and struggled throughout

Cook followed up his Queensland achievement with 148 during a memorable Test for Kevin Pietersen dismantling the Australian bowling

Ultimate Victory

England could have retained the series in Western Australia, only for Mitchell Johnson to indicate the trouble he would cause four years later

The subsequent events included possibly England's finest day during Ashes competition on Australian soil

At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the enormous ground of sports down under, on the holiday, the home side were dismissed for 98

"If Carlsberg did Boxing Days, this was it. Incredulity reigned at the end of the day," Cook remembers

Ultimate Success

Driven by determination to win the urn, the batsman performed brilliantly in Sydney

The 189-run innings contributed to England's 644, their highest total on Australian soil

The debate didn't concern if victory would come the game and series, rather when

"The environment was electric," Cook remembers

"Following Tremlett's wicket of the last player to claim triumph, it represented an instant of complete happiness"

Historical Significance

He earned series honors

The subsequent seven years of his cricket journey included additional achievements

Following his international retirement, he was honored for sporting achievements

"{I couldn't have played any better|