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Brisbane is not a place that offers the Three Lions badly required Ashes optimism

After defeat by the hosts during the opening match, the tourists have to bounce back ahead of visiting Brisbane's Gabba, a ground where the English haven't triumphed for decades

Men wearing three lions have habitually been lambs to the slaughter in Brisbane

The Inspirational Triumph

Among a recent history of dashed English dreams, hopes and athletes exists a motivational tale delivered by an exceptional player

It is exactly a decade and a half after Sir Alastair Cook mastered the Gabba via a landmark 235 without loss, saving the first Test during that famous series establishing England's trajectory to their only Ashes series win in Australia during recent memory

Historic Achievement

It was the beginning of his successful tour of Australia; three hundreds and 766 runs

Cricket great Hammond stands as the only Briton who has made more runs in a series on Australian soil

England won 3-1, where each success through innings victories

England hasn't achieved a Test victory there since that historic campaign

Looking Back

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

"With pride I remember. I played a significant part in a series when England triumphed 3-1 down under where each victory came through innings wins"

Journey to Excellence

Cook's road to his Australian epic began 18 months earlier after that year's Ashes in England

Despite English victory, the opener had an average below 25 with just one score exceeding half-century

He desired better

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

Game Improvement

Just 48 hours following the celebrations, he was back hitting hundreds and hundreds of balls in the nets alongside Graham Gooch

Beginning performances showed promise

He scored three hundreds on overseas campaigns against South African and Bangladeshi teams

Career-Defining Moments

After coming back to England for that year's summer, the left-hander performed poorly

During eight batting opportunities against Bangladesh and Pakistan, his top innings reached only 29

Scoreless overnight following the second day's play during the final Test facing Pakistan at the famous ground, Cook believed he was playing his concluding international appearance prior to selection

"I was sitting in the bar, trying to find the answer by drowning sorrows," he confesses

Critical Moment

Cook's 110 guaranteed his seat for the Australian tour

The team maintained preparations through successful warm-ups during preparatory contests on Australian soil

When the first Test arrived at the Gabba, they were hit by Peter Siddle's hat-trick

Historic Partnership

An hour before day three's conclusion, Cook and Strauss started the English reply trailing by 221 runs

They reached 19-0 at stumps and followed up with a performance etched in Ashes folklore

"I don't remember any instructions, anything of what we spoke about," says Cook

The left-handers contributed 188 together

His unbeaten 235 stood as the best performance by an Englishman down under since the 1930s

Total Command

The English took advantage of an astonishing first morning during the following Test at Adelaide

Following Anderson's additional wicket the opposition player, the hosts stood at 2-3 and couldn't recover

Cook followed up his Brisbane success by scoring 148 in a Test remembered featuring Pietersen's destruction of the opposition bowlers

The Final Triumph

England could have retained the series in Western Australia, however Johnson to preview the destruction that would come later

What followed was possibly England's finest day of Ashes cricket on Australian soil

At the MCG, the 100,000-seater cathedral of sports down under, on the holiday, the home side collapsed to 98 all out

"For ideal Boxing Days, it was that. There was disbelief as the day ended," recalls Cook

Ultimate Success

Driven by determination to win the urn, the batsman performed brilliantly at the SCG

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

The debate didn't concern whether England would triumph both match and urn, rather when

"The feeling was unbelievable," recalls Cook

"When Tremlett got Michael Beer to claim triumph, that was a time of absolute joy"

Legacy and Recognition

The batsman received top accolades

The remaining seven years of his cricket journey featured other milestones

Post-cricket career, Cook was knighted for services to cricket

"{I couldn't have played any better|