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[undercover]

A spicy three-course Indian meal is being flown all the way from Britain to Australia to lift the spirits of English supporters who are currently in the doghouse after the team’s spineless performance in the ongoing Ashes series.

England have lost the first two Test matches and even their most ardent supporters concede that it is well nigh impossible for the current team led by Andrew Flintoff to retain the Ashes England won in 2005.

Members of the Barmy Army — as the travelling vociferous supporters of the England cricket team are known — have had little to cheer amidst abject capitulation by the team before the Australian juggernaut.

And one of the ways members of the Barmy Army are trying to keep spirits afloat is by ordering an elaborate Indian meal from Bombay Nights, an award-winning restaurant in Bath, West England.

It is said that the order has been placed by the brother of an England Test player, but the identity of the two has not been revealed. The restaurant owners were initially shocked when they received the order for 10 people, but now they are making earnest efforts to deliver one of the most challenging and long-distance orders.

Members of the Barmy Army hope the order will be delivered just in time before the third Test begins at Perth on December 14. England supporters hope the fiery chicken tikka masala — christened Britain’s national dish — will somehow provide some inspiration for a better performance on the pitch.

Restaurant manager Nasir Abdul and his partner Raj Miah are booked to take the flight on Sunday to deliver the order, which, due to the distance and logistics involved, will cost £1,500. The order is for 10 fans.

Before embarking on the flight, Abdul said: "It’s certainly a strange place to deliver — there’s only New Zealand and the Antarctic that are any further. With the flights and accommodation included it’s going to work out at about £150 per head. Of course if they ate it at the restaurant in Bath it would only cost £12-14."

The order includes lamb shanks, lamb dhansak, mushroom pilau and parathas and papads.

Abdul added: "We will chill the food and pack it in suitcases which we’ll check in at the airport. The food will keep fine for 48 hours but after that if there are any delays we may start to worry. Hopefully, we’ll get it through customs."

The restaurant has earlier delivered orders in Germany during the World Cup.

[dextrous]

10? Is the rest of the team going to stare? 

[Libran]

Something to add Fire in the belly and beyond...If it was for the players, we could have watched "jet propelled" fast bowlers for England