Strauss to urge caution over winning

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Strauss admitted that thoughts of completing the job at Headingley with a match to spare have crossed his mind. "A win here and it's all over," said England's captain.

"So it's not very difficult to be in a positive frame of mind.

"But we are not going to dwell on that at this stage because sometimes the closer you are to something the harder it is to achieve it," added Strauss.

"From our point of view we will only achieve it by putting the Australians under a lot of pressure and by starting the game well. So it's one step at a time for us."

Strauss is one of those England players who has experienced the highs and lows of Ashes cricket.

In 2005, he was a member of Michael Vaughan's team who beat Australia 2-1. And, just 18 months later, he stood forlornly in line with the rest of Andrew Flintoff's side as the Aussies celebrated on the Sydney outfield after completing a 5-0 whitewash.

So would winning back the Ashes in 2009 top everything - a better feeling even than that which he enjoyed four years ago?

"That's hard to answer," said Strauss. "You don't know what you're feelings are going to be and it's still a big 'if' at this stage."

Despite having the upper hand in the series, England have managed just one century - Strauss's brilliant 161 at Lord's - to Australia's six while five of the leading six run makers are from the visiting side.

The most important scoreline, of course, going into the Headingley Test is England's 1-0 lead. Everything else comes a distant second to that.

Strauss added: "Any time you win an Ashes series it's going to be a special time and if we do it this time then those of us who played in 2005 will be able to judge which is more special."