A furious Ricky Ponting has demanded the ICC take action against the West Indies for snubbing cricket's top awards night less than 48 hours before contesting the Champions Trophy final.
Every Australian player and member of the support staff attended the black-tie function in Mumbai, but the Windies sent coach Bennett King while their players put their feet up.
Ponting - who received two awards - didn't get to bed until after midnight as the ceremony was staged more than an hour's drive from the team's hotel.
Australia's skipper believes the West Indies' no-show was a deliberate strategy to get extra rest before today's final and has urged the ICC to investigate the snub.
"We all got there and we did what was required of us, and others didn't,'' Ponting fumed.
"Obviously it's all to do with their preparation and what they feel is their best preparation to be right for the game.
"That's what they decided to do, but it'll definitely be looked at by the ICC. There'll be some sort of breach there I would imagine, but that's for them to decide.''
The awards drama has created a tense backdrop for today's final which was always going to be volatile after Michael Clarke and Chris Gayle clashed in the opening pool match last month.
Australian players were far from delighted going to the awards ceremony so close to the final. That aggravation was heightened when no West Indies player attended.
"We all had to go. No choice. No option,'' Ponting said.
"The agreement that we signed said we had to attend one official function through the course of the month and that function was last night.
"You get presented with what you have to do and, there's no whingeing about it, you just get on and get stuck in and do it.''
Australia had another dig at the West Indies, who have strangely decided to use skipper Brian Lara at No6 during the tournament.
Lara has hardly been a factor, with only one score of note and Australia is incredulous the batting maestro isn't in his customary No4 position. There is a feeling he isn't as sharp against pace bowling as he once was and he is being used down the order to attack the spinners.
"If Brian happens to bat up the order, where he should be batting, then hopefully our quicks can get to him and get him out of there pretty quickly,'' Ponting said.
"I've always been a huge believer in the best batsman batting as high up the order as you can possibly get them. I don't know why he's batting where he is but the only thing I can think of is to try to stabilise their innings.''
Spinner Brad Hogg comes back into consideration for the final as the crumbling Mumbai wicket is expected to take significant turn.
Hogg has only bowled three overs in the tournament - flogged for 0-17 against the West Indies in the opening match and has not been seen since. Australia has since used young left-armer Mitchell Johnson as one of four frontline quicks.
- BEN DORRIES