As Andrew Symonds makes his way home to Brisbane in disgrace, the team-mates he left behind in England stressed the week's drama had not impeded Australia's preparations for its ICC World Twenty20 opener on Saturday.
Despite Australia being down to 14 men until replacement Cameron White flies in, vice-captain Michael Clarke claimed his side's lead-up for its clash with West Indies at The Oval had been 'spot on'.
Symonds forced departure, however, due to yet another alcohol-related indiscretion has robbed Australia of a proven match-winner and left a massive hole in its middle order.
The all-rounder, one of few squad members to play regularly in the recently-completed IPL, blasted whirlwind hands of 27 and 14 not out in Australia's two victories in warm-up matches against Bangladesh and New Zealand earlier this week.
Clarke, part of a group of players and team officials who decided to send Symonds home, was keen to consign the controversy to the past after Australia applied the finishing touches to its preparations at the picturesque Walker Ground in northern London.
Symonds' axing has been big news in England, making the front page of some of London's daily papers despite the woes of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government and a ghastly double murder which has shocked the country.
Just as Symonds' last indiscretion in England in 2005 preceded a disastrous tour for Australia, some English journalists - perhaps optimistically - are drawing similar correlations with the all-rounder's latest trouble.
Clarke, however, said the Symonds drama had a galvanised the squad.
"No matter what comes along on a tour as a team you have to stick together and I think we've shown that," Clarke said.
"I think we're here trying to move on. All the players have tried to make sure they're focussed on our preparation today."
"To be honest I don't think any of us want to continue going backwards so let's look to what we've got tomorrow and looking forwards to a great game against the West Indies."
The match, one of only two in the initial group phase, will be crucial to Australia's hopes of progressing to the Super Eight stage of the tournament.
A loss could leave its destiny in the tournament out of its own hands even if it was to defeat Sri Lanka in Nottingham on Monday.
"We've got to win at least one of our two lead-up games. You need to be on the ball straight away," Clarke said.
Australia's batsmen were in ominous form on Friday, albeit only in the nets, peppering the Southgate Cricket Club stand with a barrage of sixes.
"I think our preparation has been spot on," Clarke said.
"We've played really well in the two practice matches that we've had but we're looking forward to tomorrow."
"I think West Indies have got a very good Twenty20 team and we've got to be on our game."