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Australians celebrated their cricket team’s record third straight World Cup victory on Sunday tempered by sympathy for their Sri Lankan opponents who were forced to end the batting in the rain-shortened match in pitch-black darkness.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard, often described as a “cricket tragic”, led the congratulations for skipper Ricky Ponting’s men with praise for outgoing fast-bowler and player of the series Glenn McGrath.

Sri Lanka’s President on Sunday congratulated the national team’s World Cup effort and pledged to help the side prepare for future tournaments. President Mahinda Rajapakse, who travelled to Barbados for the final match, said captain Mahela Jayawardene and his teammates had done a great job in the two-month tournament.

In Sri Lanka the game was marred when Tamil Tiger air attacks on the capital during the match forced fans to flee their parties for safety. Fans dressed in the Sri Lankan team T-shirts and carrying the national flag had earlier braved the rain to gather in their hundreds at playgrounds, clubs, hotels and bars showing live coverage of the match on giant screens.

Australia’s opposition leader, Kevin Rudd, said Australian cricketers had taken the sport to new heights.

Source:The News