Monday 18 December 2017 09:48, UK
Steve Smith described captaining Australia to an Ashes victory as an "amazing feeling" after his side wrapped up the series with a comprehensive win in the third Test at the WACA.
After a delayed start to day five, Australia took the six wickets they needed to thrash the tourists by an innings and 41 runs before tea to reclaim the urn and take an unassailable 3-0 lead.
And Smith, who scored 239 in Australia's innings in Perth, was proud of his team's achievement.
"Captaining an Ashes-winning side, it's an amazing feeling," said Smith at the presentation.
"So much preparation has gone into this Ashes series. The way we've gone about it has been spectacular. So many different emotions are coming out right now.
"To win an amazing Ashes series, to be 3-0 up and get that urn back, I'm really proud."
With the urn secure, Smith's side head into the final two Tests looking to repeat the 5-0 whitewash they inflicted on England on their last visit to Australia in 2013/14.
"We're going to celebrate this one first," Smith said. "The Boxing Day Test match [in Melbourne] is an amazing occasion, hopefully we can get ourselves 4-0 and maybe 5-0 in Sydney.
"Everyone has been fantastic to get us the result we deserve."
Josh Hazlewood grabbed a five-wicket haul in the second innings, with fellow seamer Pat Cummins cleaning up the tail, as Australia's pacemen continued their dominance in the series.
Smith paid a special tribute to his frontline bowlers Hazlewood, Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon after they clinched a series victory at the earliest opportunity.
He said: "I'm just so proud of the boys. The way we've been able to win this series and wrap things up here in Perth and get that urn back, it's been quite amazing.
"The [bowlers] have done a terrific job to get us the 20 wickets that we've needed in every game.
"We haven't won a toss and we've probably had the toughest of the conditions as well. I'm just really proud of everyone in that dressing room."
