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Brisbane hasn't been a place that offers the English team some much-needed confidence in the series

In the wake of losing to Australia at the series start, England must stir themselves ahead of visiting the famous Gabba, a venue where victory has eluded England for decades

Players representing England have frequently been easy prey at this challenging venue

A Shining Knight's Success

Among a recent history of English disappointments, aspirations and players lies an inspirational story delivered by a shining knight

It is exactly the 15th anniversary of Sir Alastair Cook dominated in Brisbane through a defining 235 without loss, saving the first Test during that famous series establishing England's trajectory to their only Ashes series win down under during recent memory

Unforgettable Series

This marked the start of Cook's triumphant circumnavigation of Australia; three hundred-plus scores accumulating 766 runs

Cricket great Hammond stands as the only Briton who has made more runs throughout a campaign down under

Victory came 3-1, where each success via comprehensive wins

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

Personal Reflections

"One tends to forget the difficult moments, the tension and worry that went into that," the cricketer reflects

"I look back with pride. My contribution was substantial in a tournament that saw England won 3-1 on Australian soil and all three games was achieved comprehensively"

Journey to Excellence

The path to his Australian epic commenced well before after the 2009 series on home soil

England won, the opening batsman scored under 25 per innings achieving merely one performance over fifty

He sought improvement

"Cricket is a team game, personal performance creates the sensation that personal responsibility matters," he explains

Skill Development

Two days after the celebrations, he was back hitting hundreds and hundreds bowls during training alongside Graham Gooch

Early outcomes showed promise

He scored three hundred-run innings on the 2009-10 winter tours to South Africa and Bangladesh

Pivotal Instances

Upon his return to England for the 2010 summer, the batsman had a "stinker"

During eight batting opportunities versus Bangladesh and Pakistan, his highest score totaled just 29 runs

On nought not out following day two of the third Test versus Pakistan at The Oval, Cook was convinced it might be his concluding international appearance before being dropped

"There I was in the hospitality area, attempting to discover the resolution through drinking," he reveals

Decisive Instance

His century secured his place on the plane to Australia

The team maintained preparations by winning two and drawing one of their warm-up games on Australian soil

Come the first Test in Brisbane, they encountered a Siddle hat-trick

Historic Partnership

An hour before the third day's close, the opening pair opened England's second innings needing to overcome 221 runs

They achieved 19 without loss when play concluded and proceeded through a demonstration remembered in Ashes history

"I cannot recall specific guidance, anything of what we spoke about," Cook remembers

Both left-handed batsmen accumulated 188 runs in their partnership

Cook's 235 not out represented the top score from an English player on Australian soil for 82 years

Total Command

England exploited an astonishing first morning of the second Test at Adelaide

After Anderson also dismissed the Australian batsman, Australia were 2-3 and couldn't recover

He continued his Brisbane success with 148 in a famous match highlighting Pietersen's dominance over the opposition bowlers

The Final Triumph

England could have retained the series in Western Australia, only for Mitchell Johnson to indicate the trouble from future encounters

What followed was possibly England's finest day of Ashes cricket in Australia

At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the enormous ground of Australian sport, during Boxing Day, the home side collapsed to 98 all out

"If perfection existed for Boxing Day, it was that. Amazement prevailed as the day ended," says Cook

The Final Victory

Fuelled by the focus to win the urn, the batsman performed brilliantly at the SCG

The 189-run innings lifted England to 644, their highest total in a Test in Australia

The uncertainty wasn't whether England would triumph the match and the Ashes, but when

"The environment was electric," recalls Cook

"After Tremlett dismissed Michael Beer to claim triumph, it was a moment of absolute joy"

Legacy and Recognition

Cook was player of the series

The following seven seasons of his Test career featured additional achievements

Post-cricket career, he received a knighthood for sporting achievements

"{I couldn't have played any better|