Year of progress for Strauss' England

Andrew Strauss leads England off at Kingsmead, after taking a 1-0 series lead over South Africa with their fifth win of 2009

Andrew Strauss' England will have much to celebrate in Cape Town tomorrow after finishing 2009 on a new high with their crushing victory over South Africa at Kingsmead.

Strauss can look back with pride not only on a near-perfect performance which led to this morning's innings-and-98-run win over hosts until recently ranked the best team in the world.

There will be satisfaction too - mixed, for a man who is ever the realist, with ambition yet to be fulfilled - as he considers England's achievements in a hugely eventful year.

Last summer's Ashes success aside, the most immediate memories will be among England's sweetest - after a win built on centuries from back-to-form pair Alastair Cook and Ian Bell, and enforced by Swann's nine-wicket match haul.

Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad, who took 5-54 and 4-43 respectively, then formed an irresistible partnership to bowl a hapless South Africa out for just 133 in their second innings.

"Away from home, that is as emphatic a victory as I can remember," said Strauss.

"For pretty much the whole Test match, we did exactly what we wanted to do."

An appropriate and predictable end came when Swann pinned number 10 Dale Steyn lbw as England wrapped up their first innings win over these opponents since Mike Smith's tourists took the opening Test of a five-match series on this same ground 45 years ago.

Strauss was surprised at how quickly South Africa had folded. But he will still not be going easy on team-mates whose main fallibility remains when they try to follow one win with another.

"We lost heavily at Headingley last year against the Aussies - and we know in the next Test what happened here counts for nothing," the captain warned.

Graeme Swann, who took nine wickets in Durban, has been "exceptional on and off the field, according to his skipper

"The way we won today gives us confidence going to Cape Town.

"But South Africa will come back hard at us, because they're a proud team and have some very good players."

Strauss is hoping, however, that the experiences of 2009 will make his close-knit team an increasingly tough nut to crack.

"We've come a long way in the last 12 months, and that's credit to the the guys embracing changes," he believes.

"We've got behind each other and enjoyed each other's success.

"I don't think most people would have thought we'd win the Ashes and then come here and do so well so far. We've been able to do it, because we stick together through the tough times."

He is loath to single out individuals when team ethos is key but is prepared to make the odd exception - that of Swann.

Swann's two successive man-of-the-match awards are the stuff of dreams. So too is the off-spinner's annual tally of 54 wickets, for a cricketer who for so long seemed destined to be denied a Test career.

"He's had a massive impact on our side in the last 12 months," Strauss confirms. "On the field, he's been exceptional - and off the field as well.

"Someone like Swanny lightening the mood, keeping people going when they're down, makes a big difference.

"I think he's really helped some of the other guys come out of their shells."

It was in this country a decade ago that Swann had a chastening time as a young England squad member, returning to the fold only last year at the age of 29.

"I don't think he's changed a huge amount," added Strauss. "He's more mature. But he still hasn't lost that sense of enthusiasm and fun - which is important.

"That was very early in his career, and he was picked probably before he knew his game 100%.

"Now, he knows how to bowl people out and he's a very clever spin bowler - and his batting has been a massive plus as well.

Dale Steyn was Swann's 54th Test wicket of a superb calendar year, all after he was left out of the first Test in the Caribbean

"As an opposition captain, there's nothing worse than a guy who has no fear of getting out and plays outrageous shots. It's hard to stop that."

Swann himself can hardly stop smiling.

"Two man-of-the-match awards in two games, I'll take that to finish off the year," said the Nottinghamshire spinner.

There was no place for him in the first Test of 2009, under then new captain Strauss.

"Straussy left me out in Jamaica, so I thought 'Right, I've got to show him what a mistake he's made'," he explained.

"It's been magnificent for me. It started in the West Indies - where, although we didn't win, personally it was a breakthrough series.

"Then there was the Ashes. I don't know if anyone remembers, but we beat the Australians in the summer - which is seven weeks I'll never forget.

"I'm going to look back on 2009 with a fair bit of fondness."

He has a similarly warm regard for his captain.

"The best thing Straussy has brought to the team over the last 12 months is his phlegmatic approach," he said.

"It makes it a happy environment. You're never looking over your shoulder, never worrying about what's happening - and you can always have a laugh with the captain.

"The easiest thing to do is captain a team when everyone likes you - and we all like Straussy."