Strauss to adopt positive stance

JOHANNESBURG // Andrew Strauss, the England captain, says his side are going all out for victory in the final Test. England only need a draw to win the series for the second consecutive time in South Africa, but Strauss says a negative approach was the last thing on his side's mind. "We'll be going into this Test match trying to win it - it's simple as that," confirmed the opening batsman. "We'll play the same style of cricket that has been successful before.

"My personal view is if you go in with the 'We only need a draw' mindset it is very dangerous indeed and you start getting negative and hesitant and hand the momentum to the opposition." England seem certain to name an unchanged line up for the fourth consecutive match in the series - barring any late injury scares - but Strauss was keeping his cards close to his chest yesterday. "We'll name our team at the toss," he said. "It's only really possible to have consistency in team selection when the team are playing well. If the team are playing badly, there will always be the incentive to change things.

"But I'm very happy with the way we've been playing - everyone's contributed in one way or another - and I think it's a good thing not to be able to have to change the team too much. "Everyone knows their roles and what their job is and if they can perform it makes my life easier and the selectors' jobs easier. "In all likelihood it isn't going to be a draw here this week," added the captain. "So we need to get ahead of them, put them under pressure and make sure we go on and win the Test. But I think it's dangerous to have too many preconceptions about what the wicket is going to do.

"My previous experience here was that it offered a little bit for the bowlers. But like a lot of the wickets here, it's going to be quite new-ball orientated. If you can get over the new ball, I fully expect there to be some runs to be scored." @Email:[e-mail]