A Cricket's Dilemma

10

They had come from far and wide, from every nook and corner of the jungle. Tigers, elephants,porcupines, wolves, goats, antelopes, alligators, crocodiles, cobras, vipers, pythons, sparrows, parrots, crows, kites, all of them were there. A tragedy had struck Junglistan, bigger than the floods of 1800, bigger than the famine of 1900. There was no time to be lost, and Chief Minister Tortoise Kunhiraman had convened an emergency meeting. Kunhiraman's face was grim. It was the first big challenge after he took charge. As he rose to speak, the audience waited with baited breath. "Countrymen. You already know from television and newspapers about the misfortune that has come our way. Our national cricket team, the one on which we pinned hopes to win the World Cup after 25 years, is now out of the tournament after a listless performance. Let me assure you I am as much....