The weekend was interesting. Colombo was obviously abuzz with the India game, although most of the buzz seemed to focus on sitting in front of the television. Hardly anybody turned up for the game and they missed Sanath Jayasuriya’s blazing return to form. Sanath’s 98 was brilliant, more so as wickets kept falling around him. Recently, loads of people have been having a go at Sanath, and I think it’s really unfair.

So what if he’s been failing? Isn’t he entitled to fail a few times after what he’s done for Sri Lanka cricket? Look at how the other younger players are failing. Surely people can’t expect the same treatment given to them to be given to the Sanath. Sri Lankans have such a short memory it’s unbelievable. They’ve already forgotten 1996. They’ve forgotten that Singapore tour. They’ve forgotten the 189 against India. It’s ridiculous. Instead they remember things like Aravinda’s performances in the final and semi-final and act like that’s what won the World Cup. They completely ignore the fact that Sanath had a staggering average of 36.83 with as many as two whole fifties in that tournament.

Some other people are trying to say that Sanath is a dead rubber specialist. The fact that he performed in the T20 match against the West Indies and Saturday’s match is what matters. That both those games were purely inconsequential matches with nothing riding on them is besides the point. Sanath performs. And when he performs SL wins. That’s the only statistic that matters. Even in the Asia Cup final, it was his 125 that won us the game against India all those years ago. Sri Lanka have won many finals and this was purely down to Sanath. With all these stats staring you in the face I don’t understand how Sri Lankans can continually ask for his head.

In the last 15 years or so he has 28 hundreds to his name, which is about 2 hundreds a year. Who else can boast that sort of consistency? And then there is his bowling. In the New Zealand match at the Compaq Cup he cleaned up the tail. If not for Sanath who can we turn to do that sort of job. I don’t know.

I’m sure he’s going to put all his critics to bed by flaying the Indians. He likes meeting them in finals and has an average of nearly 60 against them.

Hopefully more people will turn out for the finals today. Come on Colombo.

The highlight of the weekend was the humdinger between the Boks and the Blacks. As it turned out Frans Steyn’s incomprehensibly huge boot took the wind out of the All Black sails. He thumped over three penalties from way over the halfway line and somehow rugby has become all about kickers. England won the World Cup with Jonny Wilkinson’s metronomy. South Africa are the best team in the world now that they have both Steyns. Despite winning the game and scoring in excess of thirty points, they created nothing. The Saffa’s tries came off a kick and chase dropped by Muliaina and an intercept from Jean De Villiers. It’s ironic that the rule changes wanted to see more tries scored. Rugby now may soon be mistaken for Aussie Rules football.

How many of you saw that crazy ‘woman’ Serena have a go at the line judge. Gosh, apart from her being the ugliest thing on the circuit, the behaviour was even uglier than that. I don’t know whether a ten grand fine is enough for that sort of thuggery. John McEnroe seemed like a kindergarten kid compared to Serena Williams’ outburst the other day. Yuk.

Have to work. Need to watch match. Aiyo…