KEY POINTS:
Well, I finally checked my Lotto ticket and, guess what, I didn't win. I thought I had a chance, I did my homework and studied the numbers. Had an early night without touching my wife's fish curry and still no luck. Sometimes you find yourself trying so hard that no matter what, it goes pear-shaped. Or the shape of the Sri Lankan opening bowlers.
I stayed up all night watching the semifinal. But when the TV camera followed one of Jayawardene's sixes high into the stand, everyone else was watching the ball but I, outside-the-square-thinker, saw what was to come - the murky, grey clouds rolling over the neighbouring blue mountains. First thing I said was... 'shit!'
Being in the Windies not long ago, I knew any cloud covering with a new ball is very tough. My prediction was right. Lasith Malinga and Chaminda Vaas were swinging the ball for a good five overs - game over.
A mix of classy line and length bowling and the unfortunate early dismissal of Stephen Fleming got us off to a slow start. We had to apply pressure straight away on their bowlers to have a chance against the conditions.
Whenever you are chasing a total close to a run a ball, there are two ways we as a team go about it. One is to assess the conditions for a couple of balls, then start knocking the bowlers off their length. That's my plan and I'll probably fail two times out of five but when it pays off, the ball loses its shine and the field spreads.
But in the Windies, we have seen batsmen applying themselves for the first six overs to get through and then catching up the runs in the last 10 overs, which was our plan against the Sri Lankans.
It was always going to be difficult when you look at the Sri Lankan bowling attack. They and Australia are well balanced, in good form and deserve to be in the final.
So let's look at our boys, dreams absolutely shattered. The lead-in to this tournament was perfect. We found form with Jacob Oram returning to the team, Fleming hitting form and Shane Bond fully fit.
It would have been the most uncomfortable changing room after the game. Thoughts of 'it's over' would have been hard to swallow. Some of the lads would have thought 'why did I do that? Wish I'd done things differently'. Our team is striving to be number one in the world.
I loved hearing the guys talk themselves up. I shot my mouth off in Australia - not very Kiwi-like but if I'm going to be world-class, I have to back my ability to do what I say.
Flag the Kiwi let's-go-about-our-business-quietly attitude. Let's stand up and be heard and start to be leaders rather than sheep.
I'm glad the lads are still five days or so from coming home. The thousands of people out there with their opinions on cricket is just amazing. So why do we only get a few hundred to watch a test match?
Because the majority aren't interested in cricket until it comes time to give their negative opinion. Sounds like a typical cultural theme coming through again, New Zealand.
I go as hard as I can. So when I stuff up, I am quite secure about the way I approach the game - and what people say simply doesn't faze me.
If I had to, I could walk away from the game tomorrow happy because of that approach and the knowledge that I have given it my all.
Each of us has to live with failure. Why don't we deal with it constructively and work at getting the best from what we have?
Treat yourself to a trip to the US, watch their national sports teams and see first-hand how countrymen there stick together.
