World champions return home

A triumphant Australian side returned home to Australia today, tired, elated and extremely satisfied.

“For us to again go through undefeated and once again have a lot of our players peaking at the right time in the World Cup is an amazing achievement by everybody,” Ponting told the media in Sydney with Adam Gilchrist by his side.

Ponting also praised the Man of the Match of the final, Gilchrist, who scored a match winning 149 runs off 104 balls.

“Gilly’s innings in the final as I have been flat out telling him, it was unbelievable, that was the one difference between the two teams in the final,” he said.

“It has been an amazing couple of months of our lives and even more amazing last few days.”

Ponting also spoke of the celebrations his side had in the Caribbean, which apparently left the World Cup trophy a little worse for wear.

“The celebrations were long and hard which is what they should be after you win a World Cup.

“There were some pretty amazing scenes coming back to Australia from guys with not a lot of clothing on at different hours of the morning, but we celebrated as we should.”

Andrew Symonds also told the media of the partying that went on late into the night after Australia’s record third successive World Cup victory.

“Yeah they were as they should be when you’ve won a World Cup,” he told the media.

“We let our hair down and had a good time. We drank in the dressing room for a number of hours and sang the song in the rooms a couple of times.

“Then we went back to the hotel and went out and about, then back to the hotel.

“The Packer family let us on their boat for a celebration. We were treated like kings on there, so that was good fun.”

The side also received warm congratulations from Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

“On behalf of a very proud and grateful cricket-loving nation, you’ve warmed the cockles of the hearts of those who see cricket as the greatest game that the world has ever seen,” he said at a breakfast this morning.