THANK YOU SANATH for the entertainment !

One hundred and Ten Tests, Six thousand nine hundred and Seventy Three runs and Ninety Eight wickets-What a Career? However it was not the amount of runs scored and wickets taken that made the man, but the manner in which he scored those runs that made Sanath Teheran Jayasuriya what he is today, and what he will be remembered for, after hanging up his test boots!

The slash over third man, the crunching square cut over the covers and the swipe over mid-wicket were trade mark Jayasuriya strokes that left the opposition bemused but thrilled the spectators.

The Power, the precision and the timing with which he unleashed these strokes was truly amazing. It needed talent. Not Ordinary, but super natural talent. And that he had in abundance.

For over a decade he thrilled the crowds not only in Sri Lanka but around the world. His performances were truly electrifying at times that no Sri Lankan fan would leave the ground when he is in the middle.

Thats no different if you are not in the ground –out in the streets or at home you are simply glued to the Television when the master blaster is in the centre. Truly an entertainer who has brought so much joy to the game.

Situations rarely mattered for Jayasuriya.There was never a case of mixing caution with aggression. Very often it even caused his downfall – a soft dismissal. But that was how he played the game. And that maybe one reason why he was not as consistent as he should have been. But sooner or later you will see that big hundred or another of those swashbuckling knocks that will turn the game on its head.

His --- test centuries and his match winning knocks are too numerous to mention. However his triple hundred at home against India and his double hundred in England stand out as two Outstanding innings that literally announced to the cricket world that Sanath Jayasuriya is not only a one day basher but an accomplished test opener.

At the London Oval in 1998 it was a majestic knock that shocked not only the English spectators but also the English Players. It came at a time when the left hander was going through a relatively bad patch in the game. But that is typical Jayasuriya.Just when most people think the left hander is out of form, he comes up with a match winning performance. The Oval knock was no different. It had all the trade mark shots of the left hander. However the stroke that stood out was that air –borne square cut off Angus Fraser.A stroke that was never seen before in test cricket and which English cricket fans will never forget!

Off the field Jayasuriya was no different. A characteristic broad smile that adorns his face was a perennial feature. Despite reaching great heights in his career Sanath remained a simple down to earth lad. No wonder he was loved by all and sundry having an enormous number of fans not only in Sri Lanka but around the world. No doubt the master will be missed by the thousands if not millions of fans in Sri Lanka and around the globe. For those of us who were fortunate to witness his sensational batting skills during the last fifteen years or so what else can we say other than –