England's upcoming tour of South Africa has been billed as an acid test of their ability but for Ashes-winning off-spinner Graeme Swann nothing will ever compare to beating Australia.

Swann, one of the stars of England's 2-1 series win, said: "For an Englishman, Australia home or away is the best challenge there is - you grow up wanting to play in the Ashes. They still have the best player in the world in Ricky Ponting, and Michael Clarke wasn't far behind him in the summer."

"You're meant to say you're focusing on the next match but I want to keep performing and doing well, hopefully winning in South Africa, because to be in the team with the chance to retain the Ashes over there (in 2010/11) really whets my appetite."

When England last won the Ashes, in 2005, Michael Vaughan's men were feted with an open-topped bus parade through the streets of London.

But rather than being the launchpad for sustained success, that series became the prelude for a sharp decline in England's fortunes.

There were far fewer celebrations this year, with Andrew Strauss's side having little time to enjoy their Ashes triumph before launching into a series of one-day internationals.

Swann said: "In 2005 they deservedly got drunk for two days. That is how it should have been. Their results over the next 18 months had nothing to do with that whatsover. There were injuries and a few diminishing players at the end of their careers."

Swann has more reason than most for wanting to do well against South Africa, now ranked as the world's leading Test side.

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