Captain Ricky Ponting credited Australia's series win over South Africa to the lessons learnt from last year's Ashes defeat.
Australia won the second Test on Tuesday by 112 runs to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
"We were a long way off our best in the Ashes (series won 2-1 by England) and we were still very close in the whole of that series," Ponting told a news conference.
"Since then we've looked at ourselves, looked at the team and looked at the way we've been playing our cricket and tried to identify areas we think we can improve, and we've done that."
Ponting praised the quality of cricket his team had produced since the defeat by England.
"The players are putting their hands up and getting the job done when it counts, which was probably what was lacking a little bit through the Ashes," he said.
"The cricket we have played in both forms of the game since we returned from England has been of the highest calibre."
South Africa, set a victory target of 410, were bowled out for 297 with 6.1 overs left unbowled on the final day.
Ponting was not on the field on Tuesday because of food poisoning.
"I didn't get any sleep last night so I got down here this morning and I went back to the hotel just after the game started and tried to get some sleep," he said.
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Leg spinner Shane Warne took six for 86 to spearhead Australia's victory march.
"I wasn't that happy with the way I bowled in the first test for a number of reasons, one of which was I didn't have much rhythm," said Warne.
"In this game I didn't bowl that well the first afternoon but I was spinning the ball today and I just had to be patient.
"That was one of the things I was lacking, I was getting a bit frustrated because I thought there were 50-50 decisions I wasn't getting."
Skipper Graeme Smith said South Africa were beaten by the better side.
"We've been outplayed in the test form of the game," he said. "They've been better than us in a lot of key departments and in a lot of key moments, and all respect to them.
"They're the best team in the world and they've proven it to us."
South Africa must now regroup for the third test in Johannesburg which starts on Friday.
"With the amount of emotional and mental strain it takes to play three tests so close together, it's always going to be tough," Smith said.
"But I know the guys will be ready and be giving 100 percent."
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