The history of sport is a veritable archive of the human story and its evolution ..the intricate detail of how we have progressed as the top animal, the thinking being that tops the food chain. Human facts however are far from simple, and the story of how the mind will craft victory and madness in almost the same breath - indeed some will say that there is madness in all of us? This madness translates into various forms and has the rare ability to project the mind and body to the greatest heights and the deepest holes.

Greetings sports fans, do not be too alarmed that I am planning to shoot off on some strange and confusing mind trip...it's just that I am trying to be a little sports specific about the nature of what true champions sometimes resort to...for reasons best known to themselves.

This last 2 weeks have been particularly difficult for all Sri Lankans, especially the way we crumbled against mighty India in the last test match of the series.

The experts are out thrashing about the stats etc, but for me it's what was going on in that changing room at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, what was the team management trying as options, and did we just play so badly for a team that was supposed to win the series with much ease ?..Just a session of bad form, good pressure from India, backed by their lean bowling attack did the initial damage. Full credit goes to skipper Dhoni who persisted and kept at it, despite the stump cam story that he had tried everything and was out of ideas.

The scorebook will tell its own story and Sri Lanka can only blame themselves wholesale, for leaving the door ajar and showing the tired Indians exactly where to strike...it seems we exposed our soft underbelly and paid heavily.

The Tri series however has done all but wipe out all that magic from India with a punishing decimation in the opener - goodness what a horrible result for the top cricket team in the world , what desperation in that dressing room? Let's leave all the strategy and deliberation to the team management and wish them much better form in the next match, a match that will need our lads to beat NZ at the Dambulla cauldron - the flat green turf that New Zealand thrashed and humbled India on.

Sport in our country is an active ingredient of our island culture, a rich diet that can almost be considered a religion...so much so that at school we spend almost all our time in some sort of sporting challenge. This is not restricted to the bigger stables either and is the badge of honour for every school principal and parent island wide.

Big hand to Holy Family Convent Kurunegala for taking the netball title in Matale for the 3rd year running, beating Vishaka and Holy Family Convent Bamba, my old school too, into second best. Facts are harsh and quite spectacular when you see that the girls from the "great rock" won all the divisions and shattered the records after 17years, held by Kalutara BV, who won all four age divisions for the first time.

Top result for Milo, who must be triple pleased and deservedly so, when you consider what a sad and despicable end to the massive U20 rugby final for schools, that was soured by an inglorious legal dictate, so unbecoming, so dire as to expose the association etc. The nature of victory can transform, and I am joyous that Matale lit up the central skies with fabulous achievements for both the game and its investor.

Katukurunda was the other big star over a fabulous weekend, shattering records in the sun and entertaining the millions who watched the live broadcast on television, and the thousands of fans who braved the heat to watch. What a sight, what magic, what incredible prospects for our island ...big hand to the Air Force Commander, Air Chief Marshall Goonatillake and his team, Air Vice Marshall Rohita Ranasinghe and SLAF media man, the amiable Group captain Janaka Nanayakara, plus on the deck , Wing Commander Manoj Keppetipola.

The Katukurunda Rotheram meeting was hot , spectacular, sizzling and almost magical..the racing complimented entirely by the SLADAR organising...well done to a truly Sri Lankan achievement..and I was proud that my family was also a small part of that effort.

Finally to end this week, I am bursting with anticipation at the incredible opportunities lurking , looming and desperate to profile themselves here, at home in our country, the land like no other, a diverse island nation that will stun the world and command respect in the years ahead. But remember, it is sport that will carry the flag and impact the world. Cheers and blessings to all.