Captain Ricky Ponting says Australia are building good momentum ahead of the Ashes later this year after a 2-0 Test series triumph over South Africa. "We've played some really good cricket from the start in Perth. We dominated that Test and didn't win," he said.
"But we played well in Melbourne and without playing our best in Sydney we've done enough to win comfortably.
"So I'm really happy with the way the team's going. This has been a good hit out as far as the Ashes are concerned."
Since their 2-1 Ashes defeat in England, Australia have won five of six Tests, with one draw.
Meanwhile, Michael Vaughan's men have lost their series in Pakistan 2-0.
England, who have not won a series in Australia since 1987, begin their Ashes defence next November.
Ponting's unbeaten 143 guided his side to an eight-wicket victory at the SCG and made him the first man to score two centuries in his 100th Test.
He was thrilled with that achievement and the ease with which his team cruised to a target of 287 in only 60.3 of the 76 overs the Proteas had given them.
"I guess that's pretty special and as time goes by I will think about that a little more," the 31-year-old batsman said.
"I was really happy and proud of myself to make 100 in first innings of game.
"But it's not about beating any of the records, it's been a really good team win once again.
"I said to the guys we just have to hang in there, hopefully take some early wickets and make them give us something that was going to be chaseable.
"Anywhere around 300, as long as we had 60 or 70 overs, was very chaseable and that's how it's turned out."
MMIX
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Let's wait and see how Aus do in SA and how Eng do in India before we start making Ashes predictions
