HOBERT: Australia duly completed a 3-0 series whitewash against Pakistan following an emphatic 231-run victory here today.

It was a fifth win from six Tests in their summer, and a fourth successive 3-0 series whitewash over Pakistan. “I think we improved a lot through the summer,” said skipper Ricky Ponting, whose team play four more Tests before the Ashes begins in November 2010.

Pakistan resumed on 103-4 on the final day chasing 438 but were all out for 206, spinner Nathan Hauritz taking 3-30. The run of 12 straight victories equals the record successive wins over the same opposition in Test cricket, first set by Sri Lanka against Bangladesh.

After taking his first five-wicket hauls in the second innings of Australia’s wins in Melbourne and Sydney, the three wickets for Hauritz here saw him finish with 29 wickets in six Tests for the summer. It looked as though Australia would capture the six wickets they needed before lunch, as Peter Siddle removed Shoaib Malik in the second over.

Hauritz soon struck with his first ball of the morning as Sarfraz Ahmed edged on to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin’s pad, the ball then ricocheted to Michael Clarke at first slip and after initially fumbling the chance he took the catch when it rebounded off his boot. Manzoor batted through the entire two-and-a-half-hour first session and helped his side reach 168-6 at lunch.

When a light shower lingered after the interval it appeared as though Pakistan might escape with a draw but 25 minutes into the afternoon session Manzoor (77) edged Hauritz to Haddin as his 315-minute vigil finally came to an end. The tail offered little resistance and Siddle ended the match by bowling Danish Kaneria for one in the second over with the new ball.

Asked whether there were areas of the team that needed to be improved as Australia attempt to regain the Ashes he said: “I don’t think there are to tell the truth, no. I am really comfortable with the way a lot of the guys have come on through the summer. Shane Watson in the opening role was something we probably weren’t entirely sure about coming into the summer but I think he has put his own stamp on that particularly well, as he has with his bowling as well. And Nathan Hauritz has certainly stepped up to take 18 wickets in this series alone.”

Counterpart Mohammad Yousuf agreed and rated the Australians the best team in the world. Pakistan dropped a total of 16 catches in the three Tests and Yousuf lamented: “That is where I think we lost the series, otherwise it may have been a different result.” Looking ahead to the summer tour of England he admitted he was unsure whether he would still be in charge.