ENGLAND know they cannot afford to let their world-beating standards slip in the final Test at The Oval – for fear of finding themselves alone with a disapproving Andy Flower afterwards.

Coach Flower and captain Andrew Strauss have formed one of English sport’s most successful partnerships to haul their team up from near the bottom to the very top of the International Cricket Council rankings.

England are well aware complacency will not be tolerated as they near the end of a hard-working summer yet stand conversely, they hope, still near the start of an era of unprecedented success.

Graeme Swann is certainly on message – particularly, it seems, when it comes to Flower’s antipathy to inappropriate relaxation of attitudes.

They celebrated on Saturday night after trouncing India by an innings to clinch the npower series 3-0 and go to the top of those rankings, but all eyes were back on the ball as preparations began afresh yesterday.

“We always celebrate wins of magnitude – but we’re not carrying on thinking the series is over,” said Swann.

“It’s a nice place to be, number one in the world, but it’s not been the talk of the changing room. The plans for this series were set in place for all four games, so all the plaudits and ‘high-fiving’ can save itself until we get a bit of a break in November and December.”

Swann likens the task facing England tomorrow to the one at Sydney in January, when the Ashes had been retained but were still to be won outright.

They responded with an innings-and-83-run victory.

“It’s a similar situation to after that Melbourne Test.

“A lot of people said the hard work was done, and people wouldn’t blame us for taking our foot off the gas at Sydney – but we actually pulled out our best performance of the trip. We’ll be looking to emulate that at The Oval, because if we even go halfway to matching that game at Sydney, we’ll be doing well.

“I don’t think any of us wants to be in a room with Andy Flower if we do take our foot off the gas – I know I don’t.”

Swann himself has been conspicuously short of wickets against India, but has been short of overs too – as he was at times last midsummer when England’s seam attack also dominated in home conditions.

He knows his time will come, and that he can count on his teammates’ continued support.

Strauss and Flower’s England have made a prized virtue of a successful team ethos, in a sport which highlights individual performance and can therefore breed significant egos.

Swann said: “This is not a cliquey, bitchy environment where if people don’t do well there’s certain corners giggling and happy with it. That’s been the case in the past in sports teams I’ve played in, but it’s not in this one.

“Anyone who was unfortunate to be in the way of our celebrations on Saturday night would have seen that we’re a very happy bunch, enjoy each other’s company and each other’s success.”

As for his own lack of productivity – four wickets at more than 80 each in the last three Tests – Swann accepts he may not be in the form of his life, but is content to bide his time.

He said: “When your seamers are doing so well from one end and it’s swinging around, it doesn’t take a genius to know who you’re going to attack when the little finger-spinner comes on.”