Ryan Harris took four of the five wickets to fall inside ten overs of Sunday's morning session as England was bundled out for just 123 in its second innings, chasing 391. The burly paceman finished with career-best figures of 6-47.
After suffering a humiliating innings-plus defeat in the second Test, Australia concentrated on changing its mental approach at the WACA Ground, and the need to rediscover its trademark aggression and confidence.
That was apparent in many incidences of backchat and sledging between the two teams throughout the match - something Ponting was not about to apologize for.
“It goes to show how much it (Test) means to us,” said Ponting. “I like seeing us play with that kind of emotion.
“It is no coincidence with the emotions, intensity and energy we had on the field we ended up the way bowled and fielded.
“It has been hard-fought Test match cricket. We had our chance to assert ourselves bit more here. We did that with not what we said, but the way we played out cricket.” Now it will be England's task to regroup from a lopsided defeat. If it can do so, England can secure the Ashes by winning the fourth Test starting in Melbourne on Dec. 26.
Otherwise the urn will be on the line in the final Test in Sydney.
Having watched his side get bowled out twice for less than 200 on a pitch that was quick but true, England captain Andrew Strauss had no hesitation in blaming the batsmen for the defeat, but said this was “not the time to panic.” “We have got to keep perspective about things and realize there has been a hell of a lot of good batting on this tour so far. We have no reason to expect that to be any different going forward,” said Strauss.
“There are definitely lessons to be learned from this game, it would be wrong for us to wash our hands of it completely. But it's all about bouncing back now. We've done it well in the past and we're going to have to do it in Melbourne.” Strauss refused to accept that Australia's sledging had affected England mentally.
“What you say never wins you a Test match, it's what you do,” Strauss said. “Australia played better than us and deserved their win.
“There is always going to be a lot of competitive fire in an Ashes Test match, both sides expect it. For us to be worrying about that side of things is taking our eye of what is actually important which is our performances, which weren't good enough.” Mitchell Johnson took the man-of-the-match award, with his devastating first innings spell turning the match. England was on top at 78-0 in response to Australia's first innings of 268, but Johnson finished with figures of 6-38 and the tourists were skittled for 187.
“Mitch's spell was unbelievable,” Ponting said. “(It) probably is one of the all-time great Ashes spells.
“To happen when it did was an amazing achievement for him and for the team.
“It set up this victory, now it set up the series for us.” As happy as Ponting was with Johnson's performance, the smiles would have been even broader among Australia's selectors, who were questioned and even ridiculed for recalling the paceman, having dropped him after a dismal first Test performance and then brought him back despite not playing in the interim.
Ponting believes Johnson will have a huge impact on the rest of the series, and sown fresh seeds of doubt in the mind of England batsmen, some of whom must have thought they had Johnson figured out.
“I don't think they're saying that now,” said Ponting.
“That's the beauty about having someone like that in the team. You don't have a record like he has by fluke. You have to have a lot of skill and a lot of commitment to do the things he's done.” West Australian Mike Hussey was unsurprisingly the only batsman to look at home on the bouncy WACA wicket, and his 116 propelled Australia to 309 in the second innings, setting England 391 to win.
England would have harbored hopes of reaching that target - South Africa chased down more than that at the WACA four years previously - but were quickly undone by loose play by its top order on Saturday, when four of the five dismissals came from batsmen chasing balls outside off stump and edging to the slips.
Resuming at 81-5, the trend continued Sunday as England quickly surrendered.
Harris bowled night watchman James Anderson (3) then claimed the vital wicket of the in-form Ian Bell (16), who was trapped lbw and fruitlessly called for a review.
Wicketkeeper Matt Prior (10) was the eighth wicket to fall, surprised by a Harris lifter, spooning the ball to gully where Hussey took a fine diving catch.
Johnson (3-44) then removed Graeme Swann (9), who played onto his stumps, and Harris fittingly ended the match when he got Steven Finn (2) to edge the ball to Steven Smith at third slip.
“We had a better team performance here than we've had in a long time,” said Ponting. “It's important we learn from that and not take the result for granted. There is a great lesson to learn from what we've done that made this so significant.”
