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Oz team smarter, better organised under Clarke: Roebuck

Australian captain Michael Clarke has every reason to be delighted with his team's victory in Sri Lanka as it is no small thing to take charge of a team containing several new bowlers and, with an unproven top order, emerge with an enhanced reputation, noted cricket columnist Peter Roebuck has said.

Clarke scored his first century in 18 months on Tuesday to secure a 1-0 win in the three-match Test series, his first series as captain.

It means that Australia moves ahead of Sri Lanka to fourth place in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings.

Roebuck also highlighted that off-the-field events caused by the 'Argus Review' could have also affected the team's performance.

"It was a tour that could have gone wrong. Instead, Australia gathered strength. It is early days, but the team seems to be going in the right direction," Roebuck wrote in his syndicated column for the Sydney Morning Herald.

'He needed to prove he had matured sufficiently'

"More significant have been the improvements observed in the Australian outfit since the new leader took over. Not that his predecessor was solely to blame for the slide. However, his replacement has presided over a noticeable rise and deserves credit for that," he added.

He further said that Clarke has always been a fresh and constructive thinker about the game.

"He needed to prove he had matured sufficiently to command a group of men and could bat well enough to deserve a regular place in the side. Suffice to say on both counts, he passed muster," Roebuck wrote.

Australia will now tour South Africa to play two Twenty20s, three ODIs and a two-match Test series.