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

Following the loss to the hosts at the series start, the visiting team have to bounce back for a trip to the Gabba, a stadium where victory has eluded England for over thirty years

Men wearing three lions have often become lambs to the slaughter at this challenging venue

The Inspirational Triumph

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

It is exactly the 15th anniversary of Sir Alastair Cook dominated in Brisbane with a career-defining 235 without loss, saving the first Test from the 2010-11 series and setting England on course to their only Ashes series win down under during recent memory

Unforgettable Series

It was the beginning of Cook's triumphant Australian campaign; three centuries and 766 runs

Wally Hammond remains the sole English player to score more runs in a series on Australian soil

England won 3-1, where each success via comprehensive wins

They have not won a Test here since that historic campaign

Personal Reflections

"You forget the tough times, the tension and worry accompanying that success," the cricketer reflects

"I look back with pride. I played a significant part during a campaign where the English secured a 3-1 victory down under and all three games were won by an innings"

Path to Success

His journey to down under success started a year and a half before at the end of the 2009 Ashes in England

Despite English victory, Cook scored under 25 per innings managing only one innings exceeding half-century

He sought improvement

"Despite cricket's collective nature, individual contribution creates the sensation that you must contribute adequately," he states

Skill Development

Shortly after the victory celebrations, he was back at work hitting hundreds and hundreds bowls during training alongside Graham Gooch

The initial results were encouraging

The batsman achieved three hundred-run innings on the 2009-10 winter tours in South Africa and Bangladesh

Career-Defining Moments

Upon his return to England for the 2010 summer, the left-hander struggled significantly

In eight innings versus Bangladesh and Pakistan, his highest score totaled just 29 runs

Without runs after day two in the third match against Pakistan at The Oval, the batsman felt certain he was playing his last Test innings prior to selection

"I was sitting in the hospitality area, trying to find the resolution in the bottom of a beer bottle," he reveals

Critical Moment

Cook's 110 guaranteed his seat for the Australian tour

England continued their preparations through successful warm-ups of their warm-up games down under

When the first Test arrived at the Gabba, they encountered three wickets from Siddle

Historic Partnership

Shortly prior to the end of the third day, both batsmen began England's second batting effort needing to overcome 221 runs

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

"My memory doesn't retain the messages, our discussions," Cook remembers

The left-handers contributed 188 together

Cook's 235 not out stood as the best performance by an Englishman on Australian soil for 82 years

Series Dominance

England exploited an astonishing first morning in the second match in South Australia

When Anderson also nicked off Michael Clarke, the score read 2-3 and never recovered

He continued his Brisbane success by scoring 148 in a Test remembered highlighting Pietersen's dominance over the Australian bowling

Series Conclusion

Victory was possible the Ashes in Perth, but Mitchell Johnson to preview the destruction from future encounters

What followed was arguably England's best performance in Ashes history down under

At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 100,000-seater cathedral of Australian sport, and on Boxing Day, the Australian team collapsed to 98 all out

"If Carlsberg did Boxing Days, it was that. Incredulity reigned when play concluded," says Cook

Ultimate Success

Motivated by purpose to win the urn, Cook was at it again at the SCG

The 189-run innings contributed to England's 644, their record innings during Australian Tests

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

"The feeling was unbelievable," recalls Cook

"Following Tremlett's wicket of the final batsman to win the match, it was a moment of complete happiness"

Enduring Impact

Cook was player of the series

The subsequent seven years of his Test career included other milestones

Following his international retirement, he received a knighthood for services to cricket

"{I couldn't have played any better|