Wake up call went unanswered

Hardly a word was spoken in the team coach last night. Other than Prince who was grumbling about going in too late to bat. He was mostly talking to himself but within earshot of everyone else. Daddu was at the receiving end of some sharp chaste Punjabi phrases.

The Blues are shell shocked. Most of them have been tucked indoors since last night. No parties or eating out, it's just room service now for this bunch. Heck, they aren't even showing up at the hotel lobby now. Except for Prince of Patiala, of course, who went out late night with a Bollywood actress who suddenly made an appearance in London yesterday. Am not quite sure where they went though. All I hear is that he went out well after dinner time and returned in time for the breakfast buffet. Must have been out celebrating his brilliant fielding performance yesterday. I still can't figure out how he's managed to put on so much weight though, despite his obviously intense late night workout schedule.

Daddu has spoken to Captain Kakdi, all apologetic trying to explain what he was doing in the middle yesterday. Kakdi's asked him to chill, forget about it and think of how not to repeat the mistakes in the future. Yea right. Hopefully, he won't forget to carry his sleeping bag when he goes out to bat next time.

No-braina spent some time with the Coach today trying to figure out his technical flaws against the short ball. He has scheduled a session tomorrow at Trent Bridge before the game against SA. He is still confused about how he has transformed almost overnight from a left-handed Bradman to a left-handed Little John.

After breakfast today morning, Kakdi and Coach were locked in a 2-hour meeting. It was just the 2 of them to start with and were later joined by the bowling & fielding coaches, the trainer and the manager. It seems Kakdi wants to opt out of the WI one-day series that follows this championship. He's just not in the right frame of mind, he says. The Coach is trying to persuade him to stay as it's just a short tour and will be over even before they realise it's started. With Sheru out, there isn't anyone really to replace him as captain. And the last thing that the Coach wants is Prince leading the side. Kakdi is still undecided and will let him know of his decision by Wednesday. He also knows that he can't take the captain's seat for granted any longer. Although, to me it seems that it's not really much of a consideration for him.

Coach has already started making his tour report. He has a special chapter on Prince's fitness level. The trainer's backing him up with hard facts around his double chin, pot belly, thick skin and an even thicker head. The trainer and the fielding coach are still debating on what it will take for this mass of lump to change its course once it starts moving in one direction, most notably seen in the field yesterday off the last ball.

It's curtains for The Blues for now. They play their last consolation game tomorrow at the same venue where they had their last victory. Hopefully, time out will be spent reducing large circumferences, larger egos, opening up their minds to reality, and realising that the higher the rise the greater the fall. I also hope that this acts as a wake up call for all supporters of the Blues, including me, who were far too arrogant to have anticipated a situation such as this. I think yesterday at the Lord's, the Blues' supporters cut a very sorry figure when they booed the Queen Bees as they walked into the field. The Queen Bees later confirmed that their reception at the hands of the partisan crowd at their Home charged them up. I hate to say it, but we deserve this result.

Amen!