Warner: Hobart the butt-kicking we needed

Paul Keating famously described Australia's 1990 economic downturn as "the recession we had to have", and David Warner has channelled the former Prime Minister in describing the national cricket's nadir in Hobart.

The chastening innings-and-80-runs thrashing at the hands of the South Africans in Hobart – a fifth successive Test defeat for Australia – was the "kick up the backside we needed", according to Warner.

Quick Single: Capital records seal series win

Australia were bowled out for 85 in less than 33 overs on the first day of the Hobart Test match, and lost 8-32 in the second to hand the Test, and the series, to the Proteas in effectively two-and-a-bit days of cricket.

It prompted a round of soul searching and blood-letting. Three defeats in Sri Lanka, while chastening enough, owed much to an inability to adapt to the foreign conditions. But capitulations on home soil, characterised by huge, repeated batting collapses, demanded change. National Selector Rod Marsh left his post ahead of schedule and five changes were made to the playing XI for the next Test, including three young debutants.

Australia subsequently won the next Test match, with those debutants playing key roles, and now have thumped New Zealand in successive one-day international matches to put the Chappell-Hadlee silverware back in Australia's trophy cabinet.

"It's one of those things if you get some fresh faces in and around (the group) your energy probably gets up and going," Warner said after his 119 helped Australia flay the Black Caps bowling to the tune of 5-378.

"I can't really put my finger on it. The boys took it hard. It really, really hurts us down in Hobart, losing that series on our homes soil, it really does hurt.

"I think it was the kick up the backside we needed to get going.

"We don't really want to lose too many series, at home especially, but the guys are just sort of worked a way out to come back out.

"A bit of form from people, the senior people have to keep stepping up. If we do that the other guys will follow us."

Quick Single: Warner tops Ponting with another ton

Warner and Smith have undoubtedly set the standard, especially so since Hobart. Smith's fifty in Hobart in partnership with century-maker Usman Khawaja set Australia up for a big first innings in Adelaide.

The captain hit a new career-best in one-day cricket with 164 at the SCG in the opening ODI against New Zealand, while Warner's 119 at Manuka Oval set an Australian record for six ODI tons in a calendar year.

It was Warner's fifth century in his past 14 ODIs, a purple patch in the past six months against the white ball that he says owes much to Test cricket.

"The last 18 to 24 months I've really worked hard on being able to construct and build my innings and not play too many big shots early on," Warner told reporters.

"If the ball is there, I'm still going to go after it (but) that's what I put it down to: actually trying to construct an innings and relay that Test match attitude into the one-dayers.

"You do get a few more balls in your area in the one-day stuff where you can actually play through the line, and probably not as much movement off the wicket as well."

It's the sort of leadership that has quickly turned around Australia's fortunes. While the signs of recovery are plain to see, the looming Test series against Pakistan will provide the true Test for Australia whether the upturn can bloom into something more sustainable to build upon before next February's tour to India.

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