Michael Clarke credited hard work and paceman Mitchell Johnson finding himself in a supportive attack for Australia’s strong start to the Ashes series.
Clarke’s men crushed England by 218 runs on Monday, winning within the first hour’s play of Day 5 at Adelaide Oval to take a 2-0 lead in the five-Test series.
The third Test is set for Friday in Perth, where England have not won since 1978.
Australia’s renaissance came after they lost 3-0 to England in the summer, but Clarke said the team felt wronged by the scoreline then and that he felt the results would come with perseverance.
“I can’t answer the question as to why we have won the first two Test matches so convincingly,” Clarke said.
“It’s a positive for our team, but I think these two wins are satisfying because of the work we have put in over a long period of time.
“In our opinion, as players, it’s not a fluke that we have won the first two test matches.
“It’s hard work that we put in the UK and we thought we were so close, but we didn’t get over the line and we were disappointed not to have success in England.”
Johnson was named man-of-the-match for his eight wickets, of which seven came in the first innings, and Clarke was full of praise for the fast bowler.
“He has always been an X-factor, with bat, with ball,” Clarke said. “It’s just about working out how to use him best in your team.
“Our attack right now really complement each other, so it allows Mitch to be used the way I feel is best for our team.”
Johnson and England’s Ben Stokes were both cleared post-match of an ICC charge of making deliberate physical contact, after they had collided at the wicket on Sunday with Stokes batting.
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