Over the course of a career you see things that leave you shaking your head saying to yourself, "Now I have seen it all". Well after this morning I have seen it all.

Today's incident revolved around our esteemed captain Steve Waugh who was involved in a most remarkable coin-tossing debacle. Half an hour before our first tour match here in Colombo the opposition captain Hashan Tillekeratne walked over to our dressing to toss the coin with 'Tugga'.

What seemed like fairly standard practice turned into an hilarious incident when Tillekeratne threw the coin into the air on the steps outside the changing room. Before 'Tugga' had a chance to say anything the coin had been tossed and retrieved from the ground without Stephen even having a chance to look at the result. Within a second the smiling Tillekeratne, put the coin in his pocket and beamed in front of 11 Australian cricketers "we will have a bat".

Not to be outdone 'Tugga' looked at his rival skipper and said with grand authority: "I am sorry but I am not happy with that toss, we will have to go out into the middle of the ground and do it again."

At first Tillekeratne just smiled and started to walk back towards his home changing room. He thought 'Tugga' was joking with him, just as we all thought he was.

Again Tugga said in a louder tone: "Mate, I said I am not happy with that toss, let's go out and do it again, and properly this time."

To say Tillekeratne was shocked is an understatement as the expression on his face instantly turned to one of horror. With his tail between his legs he followed our captain who was charging out to the middle of the ground.

From the grandstand we looked on as the second toss of the coin went up into the air. From Tillekeratne's body language it became obvious that we had won the toss, as he threw his head back, shaking it in utter disgrace. From there, the body language again changed as we all witnessed a third toss of the coin. Obviously feeling a little guilty, 'Tugga' suggested that a third toss would be the fairest way to settle this dispute. As the third coin hit the ground it again became obvious that there had been one loser. Unfortunately the toss had fallen on a head, leaving the Sri Lankan XI smiling and the Aussies bowling as the original toss had suggested.

The best of three to decide who bats or bowls, maybe 'Tugga' should take a bat out to the middle next time and choose between roughs or smooths, just like the good old days in the backyard.

Regardless of which way the coin landed, it made little difference today as heavy storms washed out the majority of the day's play. Besides a brilliant stumping from our superstar wicketkeeper Ian Healy and a sensational first slip catch by 'Warney', there was little to brag about. Only 20-odd overs were bowled on a day dominated by prehistoric, but traditional groundsmanship that had us watching the covers for most of the day.

From Colombo, JL