Australia's team might be a work in progress but their fast bowling cartel is a well-oiled machine with the weapons to worry Pakistan on home soil.
The pace stocks are running low but they continue to get the job done. Barring injuries between now and the start of the series against Pakistan, it's highly unlikely selectors will make any changes to their attack for the first Test at the Gabba starting December 15.
![Strike weapon: Josh Hazlewood.](/web/20161202052800im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/y/9/n/z/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gsykqn.png/1480287824263.jpg)
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon had been under enormous pressure but played a key role in Adelaide, while Jackson Bird did little wrong in his return to the XI.
Pakistan's batsmen have traditionally struggled on the bouncier tracks in Australia and their struggles in New Zealand mean they will not arrive here with their confidence high.
Had it been known three weeks ago that the Proteas would pass 350 in only one innings it would have been safe to assume Australia would be well on the way to a series victory. That they did not achieve that was due to Australia's calamitous collapses, not a lack of potency from the quicks.
Josh Hazlewood showed he can be both a strike weapon and stock bowler at home, finishing the series Australia's leading wicket-taker with 17 at 22.
Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc was not at his top after an injury-interrrupted preparation but should now have enough miles in the legs to be cherry ripe to confront former coach Mickey Arthur's team. Unlike pace partner Josh Hazlewood, he is yet to play through an entire home Test summer.
The fast men did not let down their captain on Sunday, turning what had the potential to be a tricky run chase into a far less daunting assignment.
Although the Proteas were perilously placed, with opener Stephen Cook and the dynamic Quinton de Kock at the crease there were still many runs left out in the middle.
That changed when Jackson Bird trapped de Kock in front in just the fifth over of the day. It was a vital breakthrough as de Kock had played vital innings in Perth and Hobart.
That it was Bird who made the strike and not Starc or Hazlewood will please selectors, who are on the lookout for a third bowler to take the load off their leading pair. Youngsters Pat Cummins and James Pattinson are not in the picture this summer but may yet be back for the tour of India.
Bird claimed three wickets in his comeback game, and though he has plenty of room for improvement, his performance makes it more puzzling why he was not picked earlier to replace Peter Siddle.
"That third quick is really important for us. Losing Peter Siddle in the first Test was probably a little bit of a stab for us, but we're still working on that third quick being a really good holding bowler for us," fast bowling coach David Saker said on the ABC.
"And Jackson did some really good stuff, I thought he was a little bit short yesterday at times, but he still did some good stuff for us. We're still working on that, we still think we've got a few bowlers in Australia that can do that role. Jacko did some good stuff for us yesterday."
Saker said Joe Mennie, dropped after his debut Test, has not been forgotten, but selectors will be keen to keep a settled attack for the Pakistan series.
"We're not just going to play him in one Test and write him off, definitely I won't. So he might get another opportunity down the track," Saker said.