CricketViewer.com

Sri Lanka believes Adam Gilchrist’s use of a squash ball as a batting aid in the World Cup final was “unethical” and may take the matter up with world cricket chiefs, officials said on Monday.

Gilchrist, whose record-breaking 149 led Australia to their fourth title, said later that he had a squash ball in one of his gloves to give him a better grip. “I had a squash ball in my bottom-hand to help with my grip in training and I decided in this World Cup to use it in a match,” he said.

The World Cup has returned to Australia, landing in Sydney on Thursday morning with most of the side that won the trophy in Barbados on Saturday. Ricky Ponting said the squad had enjoyed its party after sealing the third success in a row.

“[I am feeling] more refreshed than I was two days ago, that is for sure,” Ponting told AAP. “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.”