England are Number 1!!

England are the number one Test team in the world. Official. England are number one. What is so impressive, however, it is not merely the fact that England have managed to climb to the top of the rankings, but the way they have gone about it. England’s thrashing of India (with a victory by an innings and 242 runs there really can be no other word for it), was a million miles away from their abysmal 57 all out against the West Indies back in 2009. Since then, Andrews Strauss and Andy Flower have taken the reins, instilling a professional, focused and winning mentality. The odd Ashes victory was no longer going to be enough. England not only want to be the best, but the best for a very long time. The domination of world cricket, in the same vein as the West Indies team of the 1980s and the Australian team of the 2000s, is now in England’s sights.

Such was the gulf between the two teams, in the latest Test Match, that it looked as if England and India were playing on totally different wickets. Finally winning the toss, Andrew Strauss took the decision to bowl first; one that seemed dubious when India reached 51-1 and Rahul Dravid and Gutum Ghambir were well set. But, that would have been to underestimate the England bowling attack. Tall, fit, strong and skilled they managed to bowl India out once again for under three hundred. With India’s batting line-up back to full strength, this feat was even more remarkable. As too was the brilliance of Alastair Cook. Batting for over twelve hours and amassing 294 runs (oh, how he deserved a treble hundred), Cook’s physical and mental strength are both supreme. With Eoin Morgan chipping in with his own hundred and decent scores from most of the others (Ravi Bopara being the most notable failure - may this have been the perfect opportunity to give a chance to a young, up and coming batsman?), England amassed a staggering seven hundred runs. With a lead of over four hundred the nail was all but sealed in India’s coffin. James Anderson’s opening spell in the second innings was brilliant as he accounted for the top four. Though MS Dhoni and Praveen Kumar played some shots, India were once again all out for under three hundred.

England deserve to be the number one team in the world and the nation should be very proud. There have been (as has already been indicated) some abysmal performances from England in the past, but this England side seem to have turned a corner. For all those supporters who have stuck by them through thick and thin, this is your reward.