SYDNEY, Jan 5: Ricky Ponting led from the front with a double hundred in the first innings and stroked the winning runs with a boundary on the first ball he faced on Wednesday as Australia thrashed Pakistan by nine wickets to sweep the series 3-0.

Set 62 to win with four sessions to play after bowling Pakistan out for 325 late on the fourth day, opener Justin Langer (34) put on 58 runs in partnership with Matt Hayden (23) before he was bowled by a wrong'un from Danish Kaneria.

Ponting strode to the crease and drove Kaneria for the winning runs without hesitation, Australia wrapping up the chase in 38 minutes. Ponting had earlier taken a screaming catch, diving from second slip in front of first slip to hold an edge from Asim Kamal (87) off Jason Gillespie's bowling to finish off a rearguard Pakistan pair that had frustrated his bowlers.

Asim had 15 boundaries from 143 balls faced and dominated a 55-run 10th-wicket partnership with Mohammad Asif (12) that delayed the inevitable Australian win for more than an hour.

After Pakistan had lost five wickets for 32 runs, the pair combined to avoid an innings defeat and force Australia to bat for a second time. Australia had won the first Test in Perth by 491 runs and Ponting hit a six to finish off a nine-wicket victory last week in Melbourne to secure the series going into the final Test.

"We've played some excellent cricket (but) I don't think we bowled our best today," said Ponting. "To let them get 60-odd runs in front wasn't our best but we did what we had to do with the bat at the end and won the game comfortable as I predicted we would."

Ponting broke a drought by scoring his first century in a year since and went on with it, reaching 207 in the first innings. But he said Adam Gilchrist's 113 off 120 balls had swung the match in Australia's favour.

During the series, contributions from batsmen Damien Martyn and Justin Langer and veteran bowlers Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne had restored Australia's fearsome reputation.

"Martyn's been outstanding, Justin's year was absolutely sensational, (Gilchrist) just keeps changing games, but looking back on the whole year its the return to their best of McGrath and Warne that has probably been a big factor in our results right through".

"Just having those two guys in your side and bowling so well gives you so much more confidence and probably adds a bit more aura around our team for the opposition." It was Australia's fifth consecutive series win and underlined its position atop the cricket rankings.

McGrath led the series with 18 wickets and Warne got 14. Leg spinners dominated in the third test, as expected on the Sydney Cricket Ground pitch, justifying Australia's decision to recall Stuart MacGill to work in tandem with Warne for the first time in nine months.

Warne took four wickets on Wednesday and had a match haul of 5-195 to increase his career total and world record to 566 wickets. MacGill had 3-83 in the second innings to go with his five in the first for a return of 8-170 in his first test since March.

Pakistan leg spinner Danish Kaneria had 7-188 in Australia's first innings, finishing with 15 wickets in three tests _ ahead of pace man Shoaib Akhtar (11) as the best bowler for the tourists.

Akhtar didn't bowl at all on Wednesday after bowling only 15 overs in the first innings. He'd taken a five-wicket haul in an innings in each of the first two matches.

"He's complaining of a hamstring injury at the moment. He's having a scan tomorrow and we'll see how fit he is after that," said Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer. "Certainly in this test match, he was a shadow of himself."

Pakistan had resumed on the fourth day at 67 for one and lost Yasir Hameed (63) _ adjudged lbw to Warne with the total at 104 _ before Yousuf Youhana (30) and Younis Khan (44) were out within two deliveries about 20 minutes before lunch.

Shahid Afridi (46) batted for 83 minutes with Asim in a 74-run partnership before he was needlessly run out taking a single when Damien Martyn threw down the stumps with a direct hit from behind square. That sparked a collapse that ended Pakistan's chances of holding out for a draw in the final test.

Woolmer said Pakistan had improved each match and had learned some valuable lessons against the world's best cricketers, which should set them up well for their next Test series in India.

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