Australia captain Michael Clarke hailed his team’s achievement to win back the Ashes 5-0.
Clarke spoke of his pride after the same 11 players who lost 3-0 in England less than five months ago completed a clean sweep on home soil.
Australia’s 281-run trouncing of the tourists at the SCG completed an utter domination of the series on the back of Mitchell Johnson’s 37 wickets and the runs of Brad Haddin and David Warner, among others.
Clarke has become the only cricketer to twice figure in 5-0 Ashes victories, having been part of the 2006-07 team as well. He declined to nominate one whitewash as his favourite, but said in victory this time: “It’s extremely special, for a number of reasons.
“For the same team to play in each Test is obviously a fantastic achievement and a lot of credit has to go to the medical staff.”
Australia’s success this winter is all the more remarkable after their own series defeats, without a single Test victory in India and then England last year.
“It’s been a rollercoaster ride in 2013 to get us to where we are today and this is a great start to 2014,” added Clarke.
“The start of 2013 certainly didn’t go anywhere near as well as we would have liked, and I think that’s probably what feels so satisfying at the moment – that we’ve been able to turn things round.
“I couldn’t be prouder of my team-mates.”
Johnson, who produced some of the fastest spells in cricket history and regularly left England’s innings in tatters, was named man of the series.
“I hate to say I told you all so, but I told you all so,” said his captain. “He’s man of the series. Who would have thought? No one except me, and probably Mitch.”
Johnson is in the form of his life, but has come through many tough times too – notably when his bowling became a laughing stock among the travelling English support during the tourists’ 3-1 win in 2010-11.
Clarke put the left-armer’s Ashes perform- ance this time in an elite bracket.
“Mitch has bowled a couple of spells through this series which were, without doubt, as good as I’ve ever seen in my career – and I’ve been lucky enough to play with Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee, Shane Warne,” he said.