We will cope if we have to do without Collingwood

Middle-order batsman Collingwood is rated only "50-50" to be fit to face South Africa at Newlands, and his absence would almost certainly mean a debut for either Michael Carberry or Luke Wright.

A final fitness test today will decide whether Collingwood takes the field tomorrow in a series England lead 1-0 with two to play after their innings victory in Durban.

Flower made it clear that he has supreme confidence, specifically in Carberry, called up as specialist batting cover when Collingwood dislocated his left index finger at Kingsmead.

Collingwood is in perhaps the best form of his life in all formats, but Flower appears unfazed by the prospect of having to get by without him in such a crucial Test.

"If he goes out, we'll lose some of that experience," he concedes.

"But you gain in another way if the debutant comes in and kicks off his international career.

"We're not worried. If he can't play, he can't play – we'll get on with it."

Left-hander Carberry, used to playing higher up the order in county cricket than Collingwood's Test No 5 slot, had a prolific 2009 season for Hampshire and has impressed Flower so far in the Newlands nets.

There are also no regrets about having no existing batting cover in the tour squad, forcing England to fly Carberry back to South Africa from England at short notice.

"We made that decision in the knowledge that if a specialist batsman got injured, we'd have to pull someone out of the performance squad that has been training in South Africa and has gone back to England only very recently," Flower explained.

"Carberry is in good form. He's been scoring runs out here in South Africa, so we're quite comfortable with that situation.

"Michael Carberry coming in is like any debutant. He'll be excited and nervous but certainly looking forward to the opportunity.

"The way he batted in the nets this morning, I'd feel very confident when he strode out to the middle."