Captain Steven Smith scored a big century and then grabbed a sharp catch to put Australia in a good position on Day 2 of the third Test at the MCG on Saturday.
Australia brought Ryan Harris into their squad for the second Test against India on Friday, adding a fourth pace option a day after bowling their way to victory in the opening match against the tourists.
Australia's pace bowling unit will give the tourists every chance of success in the Ashes series in England but will not be able to win back the precious urn without some help from the batsmen, captain Michael Clarke said on Wednesday.
Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris is the most potent of his side's bowling attack despite being "too squat and too old", according to the English media.
Usman Khawaja and Ryan Harris have been roped in the Australian squad for the second Ashes Test at Lord's. The duo will replace Ed Cowan and Mitchell Starc.
Factbox on the third Test match between Australia and India, which starts on Friday.
Australia paceman Mitchell Starc is well on his way back to fitness and has warned England not to write off the tourists' chances of wrenching back the Ashes in July and August.
Throwing hot water on Australia's much awaited Ashes-winning plans, fast bowler Ryan Harris has returned home with an injury from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
Australia's selectors may be spared the headache of choosing who to leave out of the team's pace bowling unit for the first Ashes Test against England after Ryan Harris was withdrawn from a warm up match due to knee soreness.
Young paceman James Pattinson was surprisingly left out from Australia's preliminary 30-member squad announced for the World Twenty20 Championship in Sri Lanka in September.
Australia paceman Ryan Harris suffered yet another injury blow on Thursday when he was sidelined for up to two months by a hamstring problem.
Former Australia captain Steve Waugh has backed pace bowler Mitchell Starc to convert his World Cup form into the Test team ahead of series against West Indies and England.
Australia will be without five players for next week's first Test against New Zealand after they failed to overcome injuries, Cricket Australia said, on Friday.
Australian captain Michael Clarke made his expected declaration overnight and then his bowlers worked their way through the South African batting line-up to dismiss them for 287 and claim an overall lead of 207 runs.
Australia captain Michael Clarke praised his bowlers for knocking over India's potent batting line-up to win the first Test in Melbourne on Thursday and paid tribute to their ability to cobble together runs after the hosts' batsmen failed to fire.
Australian skipper Michael Clarke is backing left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson's selection for the South Africa tour saying that he remains an integral part of the Test side despite his dreadful form in recent months.
Australian pacer Ryan Harris has pleaded with the team management to retain him for the fourth and final cricket Test against India amid speculation that one fast bowler will be dropped to make space for off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Given the resounding success of their pacers against the Indian batting line up, Australia are expected to play four fast bowlers in the Perth Test by drafting quick Ryan Harris into the playing XI.
Images from the Indian Premier League match between Deccan Chargers and Kings XI Punjab in Dharamsala on Friday.
Australian pacers Ben Hilfenhaus and Ryan Harris achieved their highest-ever bowling ratings in the ICC Test rankings after guiding their team to a thrilling three-wicket win over the West Indies in the first Test in Barbados.
Test captain Michael Clarke labelled Ryan Harris 'as good as anyone who has played for Australia' after the fast bowler announced his retirement on Saturday because of injury.
Quick bowlers Ryan Harris and Mitchell Starc were left out of Australia's one-day squad for next month's tour of the West Indies on Wednesday.
Fast bowler James Pattinson, who took two five-wicket hauls in his first four Tests last year, was called into the Australia squad for the remainder of the Tri-series against Sri Lanka and India on Tuesday.
Australia's left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc hopes that his current form for New South Wales will help him get back into Australia's One-day squad before the tri-series final.
Australian pacer Ryan Harris is considering retirement from Test cricket as chronic injuries are taking a toll on his body.
India medium pacer R Vinay Kumar is not on anyone's mind and he would just like it the way it is as long as his skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni keeps turning to him and batsmen keep nibbling at his swinging deliveries.
Unhappy at being 'rested' from Australia's next two tri-series ODIs against Sri Lanka and India, pacer Ryan Harris warned that the break could have a negative impact on his bowling as he is not carrying any niggles that have been cited as the reason for it.
Recovering from a knee surgery, Australian pacer Ryan Harris is eyeing a return to international cricket in the Test series against India later this year.
Australia's pace bowlers took eight quick wickets to skittle out Sri Lanka for 174 runs on day one of the second Test in Kandy on Thursday, as the home team struggled against fast bowling from the start of the innings. Australia were 60 without loss at stumps. Shane Watson was unbeaten on 36, and Phil Hughes on 23.
Australia captain Michael Clarke exuded confidence on his fast bowlers, saying whether there is a four-pronged pace attack or not, it is good enough to take the wickets in the third Test against India, at the WACA in Perth, beginning Friday.
Set to return in Test cricket against India for the Perth Test on Friday, Australian paceman Ryan Harris is wary about breaking down again and said that he had "bad thoughts" about his recurring injury problems.
Australia paceman James Pattinson is a step closer to a national recall after being drafted in to the 'A' squad for their tour of India.
Australia flew pacer Ryan Harris to Sydney to join his teammates rather than letting him play for Brisbane Heat in Friday's Big Bash match at the Gabba.
There is some good news for the injury-hit Australian cricket team as opener Shaun Marsh is likely to be fit for the upcoming Test series against India and might even play the two warm-up matches before that.
Explosive opening batsman David Warner is set to earn his first Test cap after he was named in the Australia squad, on Saturday, to face New Zealand in the first Test starting at the Gabba in Brisbane, on Thursday.
As the players' auction for the fourth edition of the IPL concluded on Sunday, Kings XI Punjab coach Michael Bevan expressed satisfaction with the team at his disposal.
The second Test between Sri Lanka and Australia ended in a draw on Monday after the final session was called off due to rain.
Australia have included uncapped George Bailey in their 12-man squad for the first Ashes encounter against England next week in a gamble the 31-year-old can replicate his "extraordinary" limited overs form in the Test arena.
Debutant Shaun Marsh and Michael Hussey completed centuries on a rain-affected third day of the second Test on Saturday as Australia established a 237-run first-innings lead over Sri Lanka.
Paceman Ryan Harris captured five wickets as Australia made full use of the second new ball to break a stubborn sixth-wicket partnership and mop up the tail on the way to a 125-run victory over Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the first Test on Saturday.