Back to earth

This holiday stuff is all very well but Fantasy Bob returns to find the world a much changed place:

• the credit rating agencies have downgraded the Indian Test Team following their poor showing against England in the first 2 tests - Finance Ministers around the globe are keeping the situation under close scrutiny 
• Ravi Bopara has been added to the England squad for the 3rd Test - rioting broke out in North London among supporters
• Stuart Broad has been fantastic in the first 2 Tests - FB apologises for his previous scepticism
• the Edinburgh Tattoo has started bringing with it the usual celebratory torrential rain which has put the kybosh on FB's return to active service in today's friendly against Woodcutters
• the rain is also getting in the way of Carlton's march to successive national T20 titles.  Today's finals are postponed - probably to a day in January given the shambolic fixture schedule.  FB is writing to the Tattoo authorities suggesting that they should move their event and its accompanying rainstorms to a time in the year when they would not be so disruptive.
• the England rugby team dress up as the All Blacks to beat Wales in a RWC warm up - they even take a leaf out of the All Blacks play book in having a Samoan playing for them
• Samoan-less Scotland beat Ireland in another RWC warm up by scoring a try - victories for Scotland are rare events, tries for Scotland are rare events - could they be related by any chance?

FB is struggling to take it all in, the peaceful backwaters of the Stockholm Archipelago seem far away now - in fact they are about 800 miles away which is a bit further than FB can throw these days.  Also far away is the perfect weather which blessed his voyage.  But while the price of a Koppaberg in a Swedish bar means that FB's wallet is on the treatment table and will struggle to be fit again this year, his brain cell remains active.  Readers can expect postings down to the usual standard to re-emerge on these pages all too soon.

Evening sun on Sandhamm