Sydney: The Australian media struggled to match words with deeds, savouring the ultimate triumph of its victorious cricket team which arrived here on Tuesday amidst great fanfare and celebration. As a red carpet welcomed the "invincible" Australian cricket team, the media was splashed with stories of their "valour and victory". A headline in the 'Sydney Morning Herald' read, "The day Australia attained perfection" going on to describe how it "stood tough in adversity" referring to the injuries and withdrawals. Another article talked of how "powerful teams put opponents off their games by simply walking upon the field". "Had India been playing anyone else they would surely have batted first and bowled straight. It was not the occasion that defeated them but an opponent they did not believe they could beat," said the daily. There was special praise for skipper Ricky Ponting who struck a brilliant 140 to steamroll the hapless Indians. "Howzat for the Punter who started as underdog and is now captain?" said one headline as the report traced the career of the bad boy Ponting and his transformation to a superhero. "Ponting has reinvented himself since that infamous late-night drinking session in Kings Cross four years ago and emerging, one eye blackened, to admit he had a serious drinking problem. He had to face a three-match ban and a $ 5000 suspended fine. He had also been disciplined for an altercation with a woman in a bar in India." "His redemption is not quite complete; that will happen when, as planned, he succeeds Steve Waugh as captain of the Test team," it said. "Ponting, who has come a long way since he started playing cricket at the age of seven, feels they were much ahead of the second best side, India, in the tournament. He plays golf, breeds greyhounds and loves a gamble." Reports in the media also said credit for this success must be given to the selectors for choosing a young man with a chequered past and a lot to offer as the captain. "Captaining the Australian cricket team is a job Prime Minister John Howard regards as more important than his own," it said. Australian chairman of cricket selectors Trevor Hohns also came in for praise for overhauling the One-day side. "He can look forward to some peace and quiet at least for the next few nights. Hohns, despite much criticism, was insistent that it was time for a change in the Australian One-day side. He was the one to decide that Steve Waugh and later Mark Waugh's time was up in the One-day game." "Character and determination have been the key to the Australian success and Michael Bevan feels there is a possibility that this Australian side may eclipse the Clive Lloyd-led West Indian squads of the 1970s and '80s as the greatest yet seen." "While defeated finalists India has the top two in the player-of-the tournament poll - Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly, there are nine Australians in the top-10 charts in-six main categories," it said. Meanwhile, Shane Warne, who returned disgraced without bowling a single ball after a positive drug test, will share part of the World Cup spoils. He will receive a pro- rata share of prize money and his tour fee, believed to be worth between $10,000 and $15,000. Extras:
Thousands of Aussies welcome home their heroes

Tags: cricket, australian media, sydney morning herald, skipper ricky ponting, kings cross, steve waugh, john howard, trevor hohns, mark waugh, michael bevan, clive lloyd, sachin tendulkar, saurav ganguly.