No end to supremacy in near future, that’s the message, loud and clear

It is past midnight but the Australians don’t want their day to end. The long and boisterous celebration in the dressing room now moves towards the central square at Kensington Oval.

It is past midnight but the Australians don’t want their day to end. The long and boisterous celebration in the dressing room now moves towards the central square at Kensington Oval. They make a huddle and break into a song. They have been on song for the entire tournament. And despite the night falling, curtains being drawn, the stands empty and their defeated rivals gone, the terrific men in golden glow insist the show isn’t over.

The end of the World Cup 2007 is just the conclusion of a class act. A few greats might be leaving but the great Aussie musical promises to travel around the world to packed houses and get standing ovations. After defeating three Asian rivals in three editions, they have reasserted that the subcontinent might have deep pockets but when it comes to cricketing talent it happens to be the second best.

Sri Lanka, chasing 282 in 38 overs, at 93 for 1 in 11 overs seemed to show that they, unlike Pakistan and India in previous finals, were not merely punching bags. Kumara Sangakkara with his breathtaking punch at Tait, a stepping-out six over long-on against McGrath and a back-foot cut against Watson was trying to match Adam Gilchrist’s 104-balls 149. But that was not to be. The Lankans merely managed to make it to the home stretch when the Aussies where breasting the tape. In long distance running terms, they lost by about 100 meters. That speaks a lot since the rest of the runners in the race for the Cup were a few rounds behind. As for Sangakkara, he just got a short visiting visa to the zone where Gilchrist has permanent residence.

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The only question regarding the cricket’s hierarchy that is open to debate is: When will the Aussie era end? Not in the near future. Determined attempts were made to get the two insiders, who are on their way out, to spill the beans. Coach John Buchanan said he was looking for a change of profession. Besides, “I don’t want to betray the trust of my boys by joining a team right now”. And when Glenn McGrath, who after winning three of his last four World Cups, was asked a leading question, he said: “I will charge to give an answer to that.”

But somewhere during the press conference, with smiles and banter, there was a telling comment that exemplified the Aussie spirit. When Gilchrist was asked about his animated celebration, he gave it away. “It has been a frustrating tournament for me. I have scored two or three 30s and 40s, a 50s and a few low scores…but wasn’t able nail a big one. The standards this team sets are so high that…individually you put pressure on yourself. But I also had a belief that arrives from the teammates and coaching staff around you. You can’t even believe how it lifts you and that was what pumped me,” Gilchrist said.

In a team full of champions, average Joes are misfits and also-rans are outcasts. Lesser teams encourage everyone to pitch in but for the Aussies, leaving it to others is seen as signs of incompetence. There are no chorus boys in this choir as everyone wants to take the lead. And listening to the midnight Aussie singing session, that threatened to break the dressing room windowpane, that message wasn’t just loud but also all too clear.