Jayawardene I hate you!

Chris sent us this update of our Dream Team standings after game 13th. I'm seriously considering dropping out of this race. This just isn't a place for gentlemen like me.

How is it that my Afridi barely gets just today's 1 game in a tourney he was destined to rule while no one protests against Chris' despotic Jayawardene pushing one of my soldiers, Sangakkara, down the batting order against Bangla and also extracting 6 (s i x) lives from guys like Bermuda's Dwayne Leverock and B'desh keeper Mushfiq (guys that caught like Superman against India) to scratch up two fifties in as many matches? And that another of my boys Jayasuriya is not likely to bowl owing to a finger injury and also missed out on an additional fifty runs today from a darned knee strain in the midst of a sublime patch?

To think Bravo thought nothing of bowling at Zimbabwe is to feel my spleen boil.....who do I vent it on when Brian Lara, one from my own house, conspires against me. He simply forgot to throw the ball at Bravo! Worse, he let that 'opposition' bowler Chris Gayle go through no less TEN overs!@#?! Thank heavens, Gayle still went wicketless.

Can't even wish Lara a string of ducks for that conspiracy; he is in my team and I am not allowed substitutions, not even on grounds of treachery. Bat left handed they may but right handers (Lara is one) will never support left handed would-be winners like me. No wonder only Jayasuriya and Sanga, the genuine lefties, are really signalling a thumbs-up to my cause.

BTW I selected 2 Indians along with 1 Pakistani for my Dream Team. Come tomorrow's Indo-SL match result and I know how I fare in the race....as will Anantha (3 Indians) and Chris (2 Indians)

Zainub is losing no less than three of her players (all Pakistanis) tonight and has to wait till tomorrow to learn of the fate of her lone Indian player.

Lahar, the board leader for a few matches now, is least bothered about tomorrow's big match along with Arun. Each of those two wise (read cold-blooded) men picked just 1 Indian - that they allowed Tendulkar more out of answerability to non-Indians in the race than out of any genuine faith is quite possible - and barred any Pakistani to put his hand up.

If I remember correctly Lahar invited us all to the game. Ever heard of people inventing games and winning it? I know what you are thinking of - Indians' initiation of Kho Kho at the Asian games, right? But I'm not letting Lahar win so easily if - if - India can pull off what millions wish them to on Fantastic Friday....

BTW the most interesting pick of all must be one of Chris's. Without him I would never have believed that Irfan Pathan, on current form, could feature in the Dream XI of a non-Indian. Hmmmm......I would love to get the exact nature of his dream verified by a psychiatrist.

Tailpiece: The pronunciation of 'Hussey' closely resembles that of the Hindi word for 'smile'. With an aggregate of six runs from two innings against Netherlands and Scotland he certainly brought none to the three people that backed him.

Update: Hurrah - Murali has picked up a wicket, Bangla's 5th. I can imagine him gallantly snatching the ball off that pest Jayawardene who is capable of doing anything - that includes overlooking Murali - to demolish my chances of winning this Dream Team contest. Some right handed men are in their right mind after all....

.....just as some lefties are ditching me, I learn. I was least expecting to be treated thus by a fellow left arm medium quick! Vaas shouldn't have done this (so what I left him out), not after that genuine left-handedness. He has now contrived to pick a wicket and push Lahar further ahead of me. Ever so gradually I am coming to terms with that. Very soon I will let Lahar know what I think of him for having talked all those players into this before inviting us.