The English were a dominant political and imperial force
across the world for a very long time. They know how to be at the top and stay
there. It was for this reason that after reading of the British dominance, I
could only be surprised that they have not really dominated in one of the most
competitive arenas of the present era and that is sports. The English were also
one of the founders of the game of cricket but it was only in the year 2010
that they won their first major title, the T20 World Cup. The kind of history
the game has in England, you can only imagine that the players, fans and
administrators all know that a World Cup title in the newest and shortest form
of the game, does not justify its legacy in the country.
It is only after the year 2012 that I believe the English
have finally arrived at the world sports scene as a dominant force. The cricket
team reached the pinnacle in Test Cricket and won the mace after beating India
and held onto it by overcoming one of the most difficult tours in present era,
that of the Indian sub-continent. This team is being led by one of the most
prolific batsmen the world has seen in Alastair Cook and one of the best swing
bowlers in James Anderson. The ICC also recognized Jonathan Trott as the
cricketer of the year in 2011 and in Graeme Swann they have the best
off-spinner in the world. This team has many match winners and everyone is
looking upto them to win major titles in limited overs cricket as well.
Being an Indian, I took cricket as the first sport but the
English have excelled many a miles in many other sports as well. Hosting the
Olympics 2012 at London and making it a grand success has added many a stars to
the crown of the sports fraternity of this nation. The performance of the
cycling team, with Chris Hoy leading from the front, Bradley Wiggins winning
the Tour de France in 2012 and then Chris Froome this year clearly shows that
this sport is being comprehensively dominated by this island nation. I could
never recall names of famous English athletes but in the Olympics again Mo
Farah and Jessica Ennis achieved huge feats, not only to be decorated with gold
medals but have now put the name of British Athletics in the eyes of sports
lovers.
In the field of Golf, Luke Donald held onto the number 1
position for quite sometime and remains in the reckoning to be there again
amidst a very competitive field of players like Rory Mcilroy, Mickelson, Tiger
Woods etc. In the field of professional sports, it is an Englishman who runs
the sport of Formula I in Bernie Ecclestone and in Lewis Hamilton, they have a
driver whose potential is second to none.
The greatest feat that every Briton today will be proud of
is Andy Murray winning not only the Olympic Gold but finally coming good and
winning the Wimbledon, 2013 after a tantalizing wait of 77 years. He finally
looks to have come off age and the English can now look forward to this Scot to
win many more titles for them.
In team sports again, the English Hockey team has been one
of the teams that have shown the fastest improvement over the past couple of
years. The English football team, with stars spread across teams in the EPL,
has always been a crowd favourite and we all hope that in the current era of
the English sports dominance, this team also will prove its worth and gift the
crowds something more to cheer about.
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