Our labours now are ended.....

Now that summer seems to have arrived for its fleeting stay, Fantasy Bob's handful of readers have posed him a significant question.  'All that tosh about cricket and stuff is very well, but what the 3 of us in your world wide audience need to know is what is FB's ideal refresher in the clubhouse after his strenuous efforts on the field of play?  You're hot, you're sweaty, your feet are sore and so is everything else, your bowling's been thrashed to all parts of the universe and you got a first ball duck. The juniors are now certain that you're completely over the hill. What comfort can the clubhouse bar offer you?'

For the early part of this summer as the temperatures plummeted, hot chocolate or even Horlicks might have been a reasonable request, but with the higher temperatures of recent days an injection of restorative coolant is generally required.  Over the years FB's preferences and tastes have changed.  Many brews have come and gone as fashion and the market weave their fickle spells.  It would be a nostalgic journey beyond anyone's patience to name them all.  Instead, here are his present 3 favourite refreshers:

Deuchars IPA - always the first choice beer for FB, a premium product - although similar products from some of Scotland's smaller breweries such as Harviestoun's Bitter and Twisted and Cairngorm's Trade Winds can also do the job.

Kopparberg Pear Cider - a discovery for FB a couple of years ago - drunk over lots of ice - some will find it a bit sweet but it slakes FB's thirst as well as anything.  Other pear ciders are a poor imitation. First available in IKEA although it comes fully assembled.


Redd's Raspberry Beer - from Poland, and so not developed with the cricketer in mind.  Not available in any clubhouse that FB has been allowed into, but this is a masterpiece - can be got in Polish delis down Leith Walk - worth the journey.  Demand it of your clubmaster now.

And sometimes a glass of cold water does just as well................

PS FB has received no advertising fees for the mentions above.  The Directors of the relevant firms will be left wondering how they have masterminded such prodigous leaps in sales.