It was not only a personal tragedy for the brilliant allrounder from downtown Matara whose eyes were moist with tears at coming so close to Brian Lara's magical 375 assured in the record books for another lease of life.
Strangely, Sanath Jayasuriya has earned every right to be identified in Lara's class for what he has already achieved. He is known more than Lara for his habit of destroying a bowler like Vivian Richards was wont to do. The bowler who has faced his assault has often been taken away from the cricket scene.
In many ways Jayasuriya can be reckoned a more complete cricketer than Lara for he is an allrounder. His leg spin often baffles the best of batsmen. Well might Jayasuriya have said with the great poet when leaving his crease ''Weep not for for me - few are my sorrows''.
Although the individual record is not against his name, there is still another world record in his name -- the fastest 50 in one-day cricket and that against a Pakistan side that included the mighty Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq.
Records apart, his departure was a singular moment of sorrow to the spectators who journeyed all the way in big numbers to see their hero.
While his innings grew in stature from the time it started on Sunday, it always dispensed charm and excitement to the spectator.
The match was memorable not merely for the high scores on both sides, but for the fact that it was a niche for so many other records.
Sanath Jayasuriya made a triple century. Mahanama made his best ever test score of 226, The world record second wicket stand and for that matter any wicket in Test cricket, the highest total in Tests and many many more records too numerous to mention.
While his innings grew in stature what joy and excitement he dispensed. In fact, he astonished and stunned everyone when he became the first Sri Lankan cricket to go over the dream 300-run mark. Then he brought life to a standstill when he passed the immortal Sir Donald Bradman's mark of 334, made against England at Leeds in 1930.
Sir Donald is no mere mortal. He was and is still the greatest batsman that the world of cricket has seen and will ever see. Going past the great Sir Don was an achievement itself, that will be writ in letters of gold in the game's history.
ILLUSTRIOUS
Jayasuriya is now only behind Brian Lara, Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Leonard Hutton the only illustrious willow wielders ahead of him.
Anyway performances like these are what 'golden memories and silver tears' are made of as sung by that great balladier Jim Reeves.
When play resumed in which one was expecting the miracle, Jayasuriya started off beautifully middling the ball well and sending the ball to the fence with magnificent timing.
Undoubtedly, Jayasuriya was in no trouble with expectations that he would not only equalise the elusive Lara record but also go past it. But that off spinner from Chauhan which turned, held back and popped off his bat, saw Ganguly gleefully accepting the catch and throwing it up to the heavens.
BLACK SUPERMAN
It was moving to see all the Indian fielders rallying round Jayasuriya and patting him on his back, sad, but yet happy that they had got rid of this 'black superman' who not only bashed and blasted them in the limited over game, but also made them toil and sick of the game of Test cricket.
While giving credit to all his masters, principals, coaches and his mates who helped him achieve this batting record, it will not be fair if the name of that once great Sri Lankan off spinner who did much to bring Sri Lanka cricket to what it is today - Abu Fuard is not mentioned.
It was Fuard who fought against all odds to break the stranglehold that was held by the elite schools and clubs and gave cricketers from lesser known schools and provinces the break into the big league. And today, Fuard's foresight and thinking has paid rich and unforettable dividends.
GREAT INNINGS
Roshan Mahanama too played a great innings. With his double century, he has cemented his place as the one drop batsman for a longtime to come. He too was very correct in his strokeplay and the world record partnership for any wicket in Test cricket with Jayasuriya will not be broken for a long, long time to come.
Well played Jayasuriya. Well played Mahanama!