With this series tied at 1-1, they have another chance at winning a series going into the deciding match after letting their four previous chances slip by.

In 1990 and 1995 they were level going into the deciding Test against the West Indies, while they also had their chance against Pakistan in 1992 and South Africa last year.

``We are desperate to win the series and they are on the verge of something bigger than anyone in their team has experienced before,'' said Donald. ``For both teams the series means everything.''

Donald, who was embroiled in a series of heated exchanges with former England captain Mike Atherton during the fourth Test, says South Africa will be equally as motivated. ``Beating England in a five-Test series on their home soil will probably let me rest happy for the rest of my life,'' he said.

``We cannot afford a single negative thought in our heads. The stronger team willprobably win, stronger in every department. We've just got to believe in ourselves...and they are probably saying the same thing.''

South Africa, already missing Lance Klusener, are not expected to make major changes to the side which lost the fourth Test.

``We certainly aren't going to panic because we lost one test,'' said captain Hansie Cronje. ``There aren't going to be drastic changes to the team and there is certainly no question of us playing for the draw.''

England received a boost today when batsman Mark Ramprakash completed a voluntary net session to dismiss fears of his missing the Test because of tonsilitis.

The fate and fortune of the game in England have fluctuated wildly in recent weeks.

The English Cricket Board denied there was a crisis just five weeks ago after the withdrawal of three major national and domestic sponsors and the humiliation of the England team at Lord's and over the first three days of the third Test at Old Trafford.

The fightback, on and off the field, beganover the last two days of that match when Alec Stewart scored 164 in a 12-hour fightback and off-spinner Robert Croft batted out the last three hours to save the match.

Angus Fraser's 10 wickets and Atherton's unbeaten 98 saw England claw back to win at Trent Bridge to level the series, injecting renewed interest in the series.

Ticket sales at Headingley, sluggish for most of the summer, have rocketed to over one million pounds ($1.65 million)-- a quarter of that coming in the last eight days.