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Brisbane is not a location providing England crucial hope for the Ashes

In the wake of losing to Australia in the first Test, the tourists need to regroup before heading to Brisbane's Gabba, a stadium where victory has eluded England for decades

Men wearing three lions have habitually been outmatched opponents in Brisbane

A Shining Knight's Achievement

Among a recent history of broken English hopes, dreams and bodies exists a motivational tale provided by a shining knight

Today commemorates the 15th anniversary of Sir Alastair Cook mastered the Gabba through a defining unbeaten 235, saving the first Test from the 2010-11 series paving England's path toward their sole series victory on Australian soil over nearly four decades

Historic Achievement

This marked the start of his successful tour of Australia; three centuries accumulating 766 runs

The legendary Hammond stands as the only Briton with higher run totals during a Test series on Australian soil

Victory came 3-1, where each success by an innings

The team hasn't secured a Test here since that historic campaign

Looking Back

"People overlook the tough times, the nervousness and anxiety involved in that achievement," Cook recalls

"With pride I remember. I made an important impact during a campaign where England won 3-1 down under and all three games came through innings wins"

The Road to Greatness

His journey to his Australian epic began 18 months earlier after the 2009 series in England

Despite English victory, the opener scored under 25 per innings managing only one innings above 50

He sought improvement

"Cricket is a team game, personal performance does make you feel like you want to pull your weight," he explains

Game Improvement

Just 48 hours following the celebrations, he was back practicing numerous bowls during training with Graham Gooch

The initial results showed promise

The batsman achieved three hundred-run innings during winter tours to South Africa and Bangladesh

Career-Defining Moments

After coming back to home soil during the 2010 season, the batsman performed poorly

Across eight appearances versus Bangladesh and Pakistan, his best performance was 29

On nought not out after the second day of the third Test against Pakistan at The Oval, Cook was convinced this would be his concluding international appearance before being dropped

"I was sitting at the bar, seeking the solution by drowning sorrows," he admits

Decisive Instance

His century secured his place for the Australian tour

The team maintained preparations with two victories and one draw in practice matches on Australian soil

Come the first Test at the famous ground, they encountered a Siddle hat-trick

Historic Partnership

Just before the end of the third day, Cook and Strauss opened England's second innings needing to overcome 221 runs

They reached 19-0 when play concluded then continued through a demonstration remembered in Ashes history

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

The left-handers contributed 188 for the first wicket

His unbeaten 235 stood as the best performance from an English player on Australian soil for 82 years

Total Command

The English took advantage of an incredible start in the second match in Adelaide

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

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

The Final Triumph

England could have retained the series in Western Australia, only for Mitchell Johnson to foreshadow the havoc that would come later

Then came possibly England's finest day during Ashes competition in Australia

In Melbourne, the massive stadium of sports down under, during Boxing Day, the home side were blown away for 98

"If perfection existed for Boxing Day, this was it. Incredulity reigned when play concluded," says Cook

Series Conclusion

Driven by determination to win the urn, Cook was at it again at the Sydney Cricket Ground

His score of 189 lifted England to 644, their record innings during Australian Tests

The question was not if England would win both match and urn, rather when

"The feeling was unbelievable," recalls Cook

"After Tremlett dismissed the last player to win the match, it was a moment of pure elation"

Historical Significance

He earned series honors

The following seven seasons in his international career included other milestones

Following his international retirement, Cook was knighted for cricket contributions

"{I couldn't have played any better|