This scoreline has occurred and now the boys can talk about the 4-0 opportunity that is on offer.
Dominant cricket from the Baggy Greens and I'm so proud of the team. They've given it one hundred percent effort and Michael Clarke will have a lot to reflect upon after his first series win as Skipper in Australia.
David Warner was Man-of-the-match after his blitz innings of 180, scoring more individually that India's first innings of 161 and the second of 171. This ultimately set up the lead as our middle order struggled.
Ben Hilfenhaus has taken 23 wickets at an average of 16.00 so he is targeting the Man-of-the-series award.
The fielding was sharp, especially the boys in the slips with Michael Clarke taking 4 catches, while Ricky Ponting took some top class slip catches with 3.
The way the WA crowd attended the game was brilliant and the team send off at the end was rewarding. This team is doing such a lovely job and if Test cricket needed a boost for this team, this is it. They've been working their butts off and so it's good to enjoy the moment with them.
We have waited so long for this return of class and at last we have it and I think a hell of a lot is owed to our bowling unit.
Still plenty of cricket ahead for the year but this is confidence and most importantly this team is learning how to win games, know that winning feeling.
Full scorecard via ESPN Cricinfo.
Result: Australia won by an innings and 37 runs
Bowling:
India - 171 all out
Ben Hilfenhaus 4-54 (18 overs), Peter Siddle 3-43, Mitch Starc 2-31
The resistance from Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid persisted and they managed to put India into a position with some momentum that would give them a chance of getting a lead.
In a way it was good for Indian cricket to see Virat Kohli spend some time in the middle and show his class. Having seen plenty of him in limited overs cricket, I was expecting him to have a good game. He delivered where his team mates didn't, especially the veteran players who will now be under question which is, in many regards, choking team progression. It's the nature of this game though.
Dravid was bowled AGAIN! This time it was Ryan Harris who pitched it up fully to him and found the swing that was needed.
Despite only taking two wickets for the game, Ryano bowled with lovely rhythm and both his wickets were big ones. Sachin in the first and Dravid in the second who'd reached his half-century.
It was downhill from there. MS Dhoni was caught brilliantly in the slips by Ricky Ponting off the bowling of Pedro Siddle (17 wickets at 19.58 for the series).
It was simply a case of building up pressure, spreading the ball wider and wider of off stump and then getting the perfectly pitched ball right up there to force MS to play at it, or should I say flick at it.
Pedro would continue to bowl this line just a touch shorter forcing doubt between forward or backward defensive shots, regularly beating the outside edge. Splendid!
Kohli continued with his game to score 75 but Ben Hilfenhaus came right back into the action to take 3 tail-ender wickets, all falling on the 171 run mark.
Just before his over Ian Healy made mention that he should dig it in shorter, which he did and three wickets came in one over as a result of well directed short pitched bowling.
It gave Hilfy 8 for the match and ensured that there was no monkey business as the boys went for the victory.
His turnaround this summer has been so awesome and it's been a good mixture with top and lower order wickets.
The over: W W 0 0 W 0 - Tail ender destruction.
That delivery to send Zaheer Khan packing was a beauty. Insane lead by Michael Clarke to snatch the catch! That delivery is a toss up with Ryano's delivery to Dravid as delivery of the innings.
Pressure within partnerships has been the unquestionable success factor this summer where all of our bowlers have used their skills sets and found the swing and movement to get the breakthroughs.
Craig McDermott will be proud and highly satisfied he has a group of bowlers who can carry out his orders, while Michael Clarke's tactical execution (as I've mentioned this entire series) has been spot on.
The verdict:
Another team performance with that one word I always use, 'synergy'.
India came over to Australia with some doubt having over their squad after their thumping against England in 2010. The side had confidence knowing they have experienced players with immense skill but they've been outplayed tactically on so many levels.
They lost their fighting spirit and this was the most disheartening thing. No fight was shown but the Baggy Greens smelt this opportunity and immediate weakness within their ranks and went for the kill.
The series has been claimed and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is, at long last, back in our grasp. Test cricket is a bloody hard game but Clarkey and company made it look far easier.
We've already had so many memorable moments this series and with one more Test left, hopefully the boys can make it 4-0 and give us a few more special memories.
The Adelaide Oval will see India bring back in their spinner and being Nathan Lyon's home ground I imagine he will be brought back into the Squad.
Having said that, there is a tendency to stick with a winning recipe.
A few questions are buzzing about our team though.
Will Brad Haddin be playing his final Test match at the Adelaide Oval? Can he turn things around?
Will Shaun Marsh finally get stuck into some time in the middle?
If selected, will Nathan Lyon be able to challenge the Indian batsmen who are well accustomed to spin?
Share your views, share your moments of delight for the Test and bring on the Adelaide Test!
Well done Baggy Greens.
The team celebrates a 3-0 series win. What an effort boys, what an effort.
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4 COMMENTS:
Gutted I missed the whole days play because I was playing cricket. Such a huge win for the Australian cricket team. Our bowlers have been so so good this summer. Looking forward to the Adelaide oval and seeing how Lyon goes. Hilfy has been a real surprise packet.
Nothing wrong with being out playing cricket Stu.
Was awesome bro. When Ryano bowled Dravid that was pretty much it but to see Hilfy grab those three wickets in one over was epic.
Adelaide will be very tough as well but perhaps with India's confidence being low and the common knowledge how much of a hard time they will get from the masses, they're definitely up against a 4-0 loss.
Hope our bowlers recover to go steaming in for one last effort until the Windies tour.
I was listening to Hilfy take 3 wickets on the radio. Was on the way home. Such a big turn around for the whole team. Still need more from the batsmen but really going well as a team at the moment. Clarke is going to be a fantastic captain. May even be one of our best when we look back on it.
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