Good point Andy.

Which,I'm sure you will agree,isn't VERY often.

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The thing about Australia is that as a nation, we are very secure within ourselves which is why we don't really get too worked up whether we win or lose. No tickertape parades for winning the ashes or the world cup - we win; well and fine, but now lets look towards the footy season. We lose; well and fine, but lets look towards the footy season.

I think that is one of the reasons why Australia is one of the greatest nations in the world. We don't have the same desperation to win that other countries have, which means we place less pressure on ourselves and we end up winning far more than we lose. We are not riven by insecurities, we take success or failure in our stride and don't rely on dwelling on our successes to prop up our national ego.

I think that is the point Symonds is trying to make - he doesn't understand what all the fuss is over. Still i agree that he should shut up and let other countries do what they want. If the Indians are excited over their victory then that's good for them and good for cricket

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I think Symonds is talking because they have to talk. They routinely do it before and during a series. They just look for something to talk and then talk. They love to play the mindgame.....which is not entirely bad.

As far as the Indian celebrations are concerned, Cricket is the most popular game here and the fans really didnt have much to celebrate lately. India's failure in the 50 overs world cup was painful and a world championship means a lot. Then Mumbai is the most cricket crazy city in India. Its no surprise that people came out on the roads to welcome the winning side.

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The Indian fans are nothing short of awesome. They just love cricket. Like today when Symonds and Hayden were on the attack and smacking sixes and fours all over the place. While fans from other countries would either sink into sullen silence or perhaps clap politely, the Indian were up and cheering waiving their banners and all that.

My brother and i are planning to go to India for Australia's next tour there and i can't wait.

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The fans can celebrate all they want Domain, but the Indian authorities should not treat other sports as poor cousins just because cricket is popular in India. The Indian Hockey team won the Asia Cup recently, no mean feat, and yet they got little more than pats on their backs. There is great dissatisfaction in India among non-cricketiers (yes, they do exist) because of the lack of funding, sponsors or even facilities. That is something that you, as an Indian, should understand because it will be pointless trying to explain it to uncomprehending outsiders. If you recall, during the Twenty20 tournament, the Indian cricket fans were holding up Indian flags with the caption "Chakde India"; Ravi Shastri even remarked that it has now become the team motto. Yet, I am sure you know as well as I do where that came form.

Maybe Andrew watched "Charlottes Web" before his speech, any way he has the runs and world cup winners medal's to back up his words.
Imagine how funny it would be if an English player said it. It would be friggin hilarious using "humble" instead of "second rate"

Cheap digs at the English aside, Acker, I wouldn't rush to call the Australian team 'humble'. I'd more likely term it 'confidently assured', with the right amount of arrogance considering their dominance for so long, but I'd have them more on the arrogant side than the humble one. Their professionalism stops them going too far, except for the Ashes 2005 when their arrogance led them them under-estimating us, but they regained that professionalism and just the right amount of arrogance in 2006/07, humiliatingly so for us!

Of course it seems the nice guy Sreesanth was at it again yesterday, getting into scrapes with Symonds and Haddin. The ICC may have to peg him back a little, as guys like him and Andre Nel can take it too far so easily.

If you are the best, and you know it and say so, does that make you arrogant? I don't think so. The arrogant ones are those who claim to be the best and clearly aren't. I agree that the Aussies tend to be less than humble in most sports, but at the moment, certainly in the cricket world, they are not arrogant. And it's not arrogant of them to expect to win in the rugby game next weekend either.

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Colly
I cant beleive two of the worlds worst seafarers/fishermen in the world, who defied the weather warnings and high seas warnings to try out Haydo's new boat engines.
Are even alive today terrorising the worlds bowlers considering the pairs 2 kilometre swim to shore in shark infested waters after Haydo's boat went down quicker than the Titanic.
These are the two luckiest blokes alive and making the most of their near death experience.