Another Spoilsport

Cricket is playing spoilsport. As it is, the ongoing vacation season, coupled with hostile weather conditions, have been causing havoc on our daily attendance at the Club. And now we have the late-night IPL matches which are holding members from turning up in the morning.
These days the IPL matches start at 8.00 p.m. and being in the final knock-out stages, are keeping cricket lovers hooked till the last ball is bowled – well beyond midnight. The next-door Celebration Club has put up a giant television screen and is serving beer and hard liquor at heady discounts to draw crowds. As it turns out, their gain is our loss. For you cannot expect those late-night revelers to sober up and report at 7.00 a.m. sharp in the Garden to exercise. Sounds idiotic!
Still, we are managing – largely because ours is a women-dominated Club and most of them are not addicted to cricket. The male presence during the exercises has become somewhat of a joke – mainly during the Lion and Lioness Round, when the “lions” show themselves up to be on their last legs, facing extinction. Sitaram Hivarkar, Ved Prakash Grover, Yusuf Rasiwala and Prakash Motwani joined the ranks of ‘endangered species’ today.
Meanwhile, Razia Khan (left) came with some disturbing news early morning. Her sister, four years older to her, has been hospitalized in Mira Road. She is in a critical state, battling for life in an ICU. The cause of her ailment has not been detected yet. Razia suspects it is an allergy as the body has bloated up. We are keeping our fingers crossed and can only hope and pray that this dark cloud blows over, sooner than later.
Bhaswati Bose says:
I think I am the only "lioness" who's interested in cricket. Today being a knock-out match between Mumbai(my sasural) and Kolkata (my maike), I shall be hooked to the TV. Shall try my level best to be in the Garden tomorrow morning!
--Bhaswati
Dilip Babani says:
Now the IPL craze is on. All are happy with cricket. Old and retired people have good time-pass. Youngsters are also crazy about cricket. They bet heavily and if they win, the money is spent on daru and huka. If they lose, they don't mind because their fathers have lots of money. Cricket is for watching and enjoying drinks, daru, chicken and fish. But don't bet. If you bet, bet in small amounts. So when you lose, there'll be no regrets.
--Dilip