As Stalwarts Depart

As McCullum and Ponting fly back to join their respective national teams, and the Kolkata team gets thrashed by the Rajasthan Royals team (which, as an aside, I must say, is destined to eventually win this tournament), a sense of loss envelops the spectacle that is the IPL. With Symnonds leaving soon, Harbhajan out under remarkable circumstances and Tendulkar refusing to recover from his groin injury, one would be forced to say that the 'stalwarts' of this game are disappearing from the Indian context (and doing meaningless things like representing their national teams!).

As you read this and wonder why I ramble, perhaps justly so, I sit here and mope the loss of our beloved John. With large scale misery bearing down upon the IPL, all of us faithfuls to this blog, must, in keeping with the general mood of things, for the next month shrink into the size of foetuses, and ensconce ourselves in the misery that has befallen us with the departure of John.

As John sits with some beautiful women in some random cafe, where he will be shooting his rum and coke on a fully sponsored trip for the next month, he has left us incharge of his legacy that is IslandExpress.

Just before his tearful farewell early this morning at 4 A.M., he messaged one last time from Indian shores to bemoan his inability to write for this wonderful blog for weeks to come. He requested me, as a friend and connosieur of the game, to write in his absence and to ensure that all of his fans have reason to visit the blog.

So, gentlemen (and I wish some ladies too would visit this blog), I raise a toast to John and him getting laid by hot white women in Lithuania - for all those who love him, join in, for the rest of you, it is a drink, so dont waste it!

Cheers John!! We promise to keep the legacy alive.