I had the great pleasure of meeting my old friend Ranjit after a long time – and it all took place thanks to the combined efforts of a young Army officer and a Tamil businessman.

Here’s how it all happened.

I had planned to spend the weekend peacefully at home watching the cricket – after all, with all these road closures and traffic diversions, I believe it is much better, instead of struggling to find one’s way to the SSC, to stay at home in front of the TV set in the company of a couple of my neighbours and enjoy the cricket. Modern media coverage brings the action to you almost as clearly as if one is watching it live. In fact, it is even better than the real thing because you can sit in comfort in your favourite armchair, enjoy a leisurely drink, and have the benefit of the TV camera zooming in and providing you with replays. The only drawback is being forced to listen to some of our TV commentators (whose comments sometimes detract from the quality of the cricket) – but if you do want to have an articulate description of the action to go with the images, you can always turn off the sound on your TV and put the radio on instead. I have found our radio commentators provide a much better description of the action than the oft repeated "The Indians have a lot of work to do" kind of inane comment that reiterates the obvious and insults the intelligence of the listener.

Anyway, I had planned to devote my Sunday afternoon to watching the cricket – but my plans had to be changed because a young officer from the Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment and the not so young son of a Tamil businessman from Kandy decided otherwise. The two of them got together, and with the help of nine of their colleagues, bamboozled the Indian cricket team to skittle them out for 138 runs – the lowest test total that India has ever recorded against Sri Lanka – and inflict on them the worst defeat that India has suffered in this country.

So Muralidaran and Mendis (bless them!) and the victorious Sri Lankan cricket team deprived me of the opportunity of spending an enjoyable Sunday afternoon, watching the cricket and sinking a couple of beers in congenial company. Left at a loose end, I decided that I would go and get a much needed haircut - and since the place that I have been going to for a haircut for the past few decades happens to be open on Sunday, that is where I went.

Imagine my surprise as I was walking in when I spotted what looked like a familiar face just about to go in to the same "barber-saloon". It was my old friend Ranjit – who now lives overseas, but was spending three months here to get away from the cold Southern Hemisphere winter.

Ranjit is one of those wise men who knew when it was time to retire from his profession and enjoy his ease. Having worked hard, first for a big company overseas and then running his own business, he retired at the top of his game before he was too old to adjust himself to the leisure he had so fully earned by a lifetime of hard work and prudent investment. Instead of hanging on, he handed his business over to his son - and now spends his time enjoying the fruits of his labours.

"But what makes you come here to get a haircut?" I asked him, knowing that he could well afford to get his hair "hair-dressed" at a posh hotel establishment.

"Ah!" he replied, "I always get my hair cut here by my regular barber. He does a good job - and what I pay here, including a very generous tip, is less than a third of what I would have to pay for a haircut in Australia! In fact, the first thing I do when I come back home is come here to get my long overdue haircut!"

It was nice seeing Ranjit again after all these years. We chatted about many things, including the recent Test match – and how national cricket teams from Australia to the West Indies must be studying video footage of young Ajantha Mendis’ action to try and read the young spinner. With Mendis and Muralidaran working together, they will find Sri Lanka’s cricketers difficult to handle in the coming months. It might even prompt them to cite "security concerns" to avoid facing them in Pakistan come September!