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

After defeat by Australia at the series start, the tourists have to bounce back ahead of visiting the famous Gabba, a ground where the English haven't triumphed for decades

Men wearing three lions have often become easy prey at this challenging venue

A Shining Knight's Achievement

Within recent memory of dashed English dreams, hopes and athletes lies an inspirational story delivered by a cricket hero

It is exactly the 15th anniversary of Alastair Cook mastered the Gabba with a career-defining 235 without loss, saving the first Test during that famous series paving England's path toward their sole series victory on Australian soil in the past 38 years

Unforgettable Series

This marked the start of the victorious circumnavigation of Australia; three hundred-plus scores totaling 766 runs

The legendary Hammond stands as the only Briton who has made more runs in a series down under

England won 3-1, with every win via comprehensive wins

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

Looking Back

"One tends to forget the difficult moments, the tension and worry involved in that achievement," Cook remembers

"I look back with pride. I made an important impact in a series when the English secured a 3-1 victory in Australia where each victory was achieved comprehensively"

Journey to Excellence

His journey to his Australian epic began 18 months earlier after the 2009 series on home soil

Despite English victory, Cook averaged less than 25 achieving merely one performance above 50

He sought improvement

"While cricket involves teamwork, the individuality generates the feeling that personal responsibility matters," he notes

Skill Development

Shortly after the victory celebrations, he was back at work hitting hundreds and hundreds bowls during training under Graham Gooch's guidance

The initial results proved positive

Cook made three centuries on the 2009-10 winter tours against South African and Bangladeshi teams

Crucial Turning Points

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

In eight innings versus Bangladesh and Pakistan, his best performance was 29

Without runs at the end of the second day of the third Test versus Pakistan at The Oval, Cook was convinced this would be his final Test performance ahead of potential omission

"I was sitting in the bar, attempting to discover the solution in the bottom of a beer bottle," he confesses

The Turning Point

The 110-run innings secured his place on the plane to Australia

Preparation continued with two victories and one draw in practice matches down under

Come the first Test in Brisbane, they were hit by a Siddle hat-trick

Historic Partnership

An hour before the end of the third day, the opening pair started the English reply trailing by 221 runs

They achieved 19 without loss at stumps then continued through a demonstration etched in Ashes folklore

"I cannot recall any instructions, our conversations," Cook remembers

The opening pair contributed 188 for the first wicket

The 235 without dismissal represented the top score from an English player down under since the 1930s

Complete Control

England exploited a remarkable opening session during the following Test in South Australia

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

The batsman proceeded his Brisbane heroics with 148 in a famous match for Kevin Pietersen dismantling the opposition bowlers

The Final Triumph

Victory was possible the Ashes in Perth, only for Mitchell Johnson to foreshadow the havoc he would cause four years later

The subsequent events included perhaps England's single greatest day during Ashes competition in Australia

In Melbourne, the 100,000-seater cathedral of Australian sport, and on Boxing Day, the hosts were blown away for 98

"If Carlsberg did Boxing Days, that defined it. Incredulity reigned as the day ended," recalls Cook

The Final Victory

Driven by determination to secure the Ashes, Cook excelled once more at the SCG

His 189 helped England reach 644, their best score on Australian soil

The question was not if victory would come the game and series, rather when

"The atmosphere was incredible," recalls Cook

"Following Tremlett's wicket of Michael Beer to secure victory, that was a time of pure elation"

Enduring Impact

The batsman received top accolades

The remaining seven years of his cricket journey were illuminated by further accomplishments

After retiring internationally, he received a knighthood for services to cricket

"{I couldn't have played any better|