THIS BRITISH ROYALTY IS ALL ABOUT

BASELINE, BAZBALL ,BIRDIES AND BUNKERS

The British summer this year was under the serious wrap of global warming. It
ought to be when three globally acclaimed sports all descended together in
unison the past fortnight leaving behind a scorching trail of records and heat (nay
heap) of achievements and driving the spectators and sports aficionados alike
globally scurrying for cover literally into the stands.

Well, the British summer I am referring to is all about BASELINE, BAZBALL,

BIRDIES and BUNKERS you see.

The land of “Heptarchy” heralded by the Anglo Saxons somewhere in the 4 th

century AD till its Norman conquest in 1066 AD by William the Conqueror, when
he unified the whole of the seven heptarchy kingdoms was now unified to witness
some of the most spectacular and royal conquests of different kind, a veritable
royalty of sporting actions all of them- golf, cricket and tennis each one being a
royale delight to say the least.

It would be an understatement to mention here that the British monarchy amidst

many of their royal pursuits, adventure sports and expeditions also paved way for
the birth of these three pre-eminent, popular& iconic sports of our times and now
with a huge global fanbase and franchise following. No wonder all three of them
are rightfully called the “Gentleman’s Sport.”

The English summer months in June – July every year has the unique distinction
of hosting all the three sports ultimate championships viz - the Wimbledon, the
Open Championship and ASHES, the last mentioned however being a biennial
event and the remainder two being an annual feature.

All these royal games garner maximum global eyeball ratings as much as does the
BRITISH ROYALTY too for such is their aura and power, respect and that exalted
status they pride amongst all other sporting actions and within their own sport as
well.

Interestingly all the three sports originated almost a decade apart – the British
Open in 1860, the Wimbledon in 1877 and finally now the famous ongoing ASHES
between England and Australia first played in 1882 when the former lost the
solitary test at the Oval. The Hon’ble Ivo Bligh, the English captain famously
declared that he will bring the ASHES home after a mock obituary in The Sporting
Times declared the death of English cricket by their petulant caption “the body
will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.”

So popular are these three games that British royalty apart other royal members
of other nations, glitterati, spectators and netizens world over remain its faithful
subjects as if they have sworn their allegiance to no less than the British
monarchy.
Last weekend the Wimbledon championship crowned two new and young
champions both in the men’s and women’ singles at the SW19 -Spaniard Carlos
Alcaraz Garfia and Czech Marketa Vondrousova as both players pulled off a major
upset against the favourites for the title.

Meanwhile, Team England’s dream of overcoming the 42-year-old omen at the Old
Trafford to achieve a test match win seemed very much a reality when the Big
Ben’s brigade had the ASHES firmly in their sight before the sudden summer
showers over the weekend played spoilsport by dashing their hopes and denying
them that famous victory and to keep the ASHES alive for a fifth test “tie
breaker”. Nostalgic as it may seem, the English team must have firmly set their
sights on that famous royalty date of 29 July 1981 when then Prince (now King)
Charles wed Princess Diana in a fairytale wedding and would have loved to
commemorate it by a famous victory over their arch rivals at the Oval. Well, that
wait now seems another four summers away, unfortunately.

The 151st Open Championship at the prestigious Royal Liverpool had a fairytale
ending as well at the Hoylake yesterday as it saw the emergence of an underdog
who went on to become the new champion and the claret jug winner. Brian
Harman, the southpaw golfer from Savannah (USA) kept his hunters, pouring rains
&racy winds and the bunkers all at bay on the final day with nerves of steel and
some nonchalant putting on the greens as if he belonged to this very English
grassland.

This British summer has truly left its stamp of ‘royalty’ not only on these royale
sports but also on all the eyeball popping action from players alike be it from the
baseline or the bazball / baggy green variety or as most of us were left wondering
about the delightful birdies from the ‘bunkers’ at the Hoylake.

I cannot get to wait for the next British summer- how about you?