Britain Rules the Sport

What a fantastic weekend of sport it has been for us Brits! Dear God, I think the beer is flowing still! First the British & Irish Lions win the Test Series in Australia with a convincing display that showed we are streets ahead of the Aussies. Then (ad this was the biggie) Andy Murray became the first Brit in 77 years to win at Wimbledon, while on the same day Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell took the French Open at the tough Le Golf National.
Fantastic! And it was even more brilliant for the still dizzy Mr Jakes because rugby, tennis and golf are my favourite sports.
Was this one of the greatest days in British sport? Its got to be in with a shout. Heck Murray getting a slam at Wimbledon makes it special without the rugger and golf but the triple whammy made for a grand three course sporting feast. And who knows? The Ashes series (cricket) against our arch rivals the Aussies begins on Wednesday and we have a good chance of winning those too. Oh so sweet is victory after a few years in the sporting doldrums! I really do believe our success at last years Olympics kick started it all, there is definitely a bit of that spirit lingering in our athletes.
However to misquote Shakespeare, the course of true sporting highs never did run smooth, and it would seem the First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond upset a few people by waving the Saltire (Scottish flag) in the Royal Box at Wimbledon. I personally think it a hulabaloo over nothing, I mean Andy Murray is Scottish, what was Salmond supposed to wave? The flag of Japan? I can assure you dear reader that if Dai Jakes ever created sporting history (I can dream!) then I would be extremely angry/saddened if the Welsh dragon, y Ddraig Goch, wasn't flying.
Still I don't want to end on a sour note when people are still buzzing from such a fabulous weekend, long may it continue, long may Britain become great once more not by the hostilities of our history but through the camaraderie of sporting events.

Federer Rogers Murray

New Wimbledon tents available at all good camping stores soon!

Andy Murray is the first Briton in 74 years to reach a Wimbledon final and Britain expected much of him. He didn't disappoint either even if ultimately losing. He started the game with racket blazing, winning the first set despite all the naysayers pointing out he'd never won a set in his three other Grand Slam appearances. Balls to them then. Such was his play that I thought he was going to walk it, even against the supremely talented Roger Federer.
For once it looked good for British sport and the audience in center court were buzzing (including the obligatory celebrities like David Beckham but never his wife of course).
Federer won the second set with some magnificent shots but the rain interupted set three and the roof was pulled over the court making it look like a giant hermit crab. By this time Murray was probably happy for the break, anythig to stop the Swiss tennis maestro getting into his stride. When a champion loses the first set, its best go up a gear to prove who the real champion is and Federer showed touches of genius throughout this match.
We all knew in our heads that Murray would more than likely lose but it was exciting to follow the heart for a while. The Fed Machine went into overdrive in set four and the cake was his for the eating. There is no shame in losing to a master of the sport. Andy Murray can and should be proud of today, he'll win a Slam one day judging on this performance. Well done Andy, well done Roger.

** By the way the BBC have fine tennis champions on the commentary team with Boris Becker and John McEnroe so why they go and spoil it by including the weedy Tim Henman is a mystery to me. He's won nothing of any real significance and stands out like a banana amongst a box of cucumbers.