The Ashes 2010-11: Andrew Strauss urges England towards series win

We are ready for the final act. The drama is not 'Allo 'Allo 'Allo 'Allo because the protagonists are not inclined "to say this only once". Every player, every coach has been saying the same thing ever since the victory at Melbourne: England have not yet finished the job; the Ashes may be secure but the series is not. Today it was the turn of Graeme Swann to point out that England "can take nothing for granted". He also added in his impish, candid way that he would have settled for 2-2 at the start of the series, before recognising that this may not be the official line. • In video: the captains on England retaining the Ashes • Sign up now for our weekly email The Spin • Malcolm Knox: Humbled Australia must learn humility • Follow our daily blog throughout the Ashes • The latest news and comment on our Ashes site Andrew Strauss can give us that, though he acknowledged the potential of this England team before the caveats were delivered. "Success breeds success, no doubt about it," he said. "The key is not to let that slip. We are in a special little purple patch and the easy way to get out of that patch is by assuming it's just going to continue. "Perth proved to us that there's a very real danger that if you're not 100% right you're going to get beaten again. That's why we're looking forward to this week and hopefully putting that to bed." Strauss also knows that funny things can happen in Sydney when the destination of the Ashes has been decided. "You look back to England sides in the past who've lost Ashes series and the final game has been a bit of a release from pressure and guys have come out and played with a bit more freedom. But we know that if we keep playing the cricket we did in Melbourne and Adelaide then we're going to be hard for any team to beat". Especially a team who seem to be in some disarray. Since Ricky Ponting has been ruled out of the Test the focus upon Michael Clarke, his tattoos, his girlfriends and, very occasionally, his batting, has been intense. A poll in the local papers has his popularity ratings somewhere on the same level as Nick Clegg's. However, it may be easier for Clarke to do something about that. An Australia victory and those ratings will soar. Clarke may well be leading out two debutants at the SCG: Usman Khawaja, who will bat at three and become the first Muslim to play for Australia, and Michael Beer, the left-arm spinner. The final choice will be between Beer and Doug Bollinger (fill in your own alcohol-related jokes here). Beer is likely to get the nod. The Sydney pitch is no longer a spinner's haven and two days before the match was due to start there was a good grass covering. But there is usually something for the spinner by the end. Oddly enough Beer, picked in the XII for Perth, seems to have been waiting for ages to make his Test debut for a man who has seven first‑class appearances to his name. If he plays Beer will be up against the most prolific bowler of 2010, Swann. Strauss outlined the importance of Swann in England's latest victory. "The variety with which he bowls and the way in which he bowled in Melbourne was outstanding. He didn't pick up many wickets but he kept guys at one end and kept up the pressure for the seamers. He goes from strength to strength and there's no reason why he shouldn't have another successful year in 2011 as well." Swann was more Tacitean – initially. "A dream year. Married in January. World Cup in February. Retained the Ashes in December. If 2011 is like that I'll be over the moon. You just have to enjoy the purple patches. But if you start believing all the hype, you come back down again and nobody likes you." As if guarding against what may be an inevitable revival for Clarke, he declared that Australia's best batsman against spin was their new captain, saying: "He comes down the wicket at you so late." However, Swann's dismissal of Clarke in Melbourne when he bowled around the wicket with a second slip in place, which is very unusual for an off-spinner, was a minor triumph. "It was very satisfying because the plan worked straightaway. It was my idea and if Strauss says otherwise, he's talking bollocks," announced England's jovial spinner. Strauss is not in the habit of claiming credit for anything and he is looking forward to having Swann at his side for a while. Whether Paul Collingwood will play much more Test cricket after Sydney is much more debatable. Naturally Strauss defended his doughtiest colleague. "He has certainly had a tough tour. The guy is always contributing whether it's bowling a few overs or taking catches. He is still of huge value to the side and you always know with Colly that when his back is most against the wall he's likely to get runs. We still have a huge amount of confidence in him as a player." At 34 the Mackem battler's best days as a Test batsman have almost certainly passed. A century at Sydney in an Ashes victory would not be a bad way to go.