Third Test, Cape Town: South Africa v England
Venue: Newlands Dates: 3-7 January Start time: 0800 GMT
Coverage: Listen to Test Match Special on BBC Radio Four Longwave, Radio 5 live sports extra, the Red Button and BBC Sport website; text commentary online and on mobile phones. Also live on Sky Sports
**England’s Paul Collingwood survived a net session as he continued his race to be fit for the third Test in Cape Town which starts on 3 January.**The Durham all-rounder, 33, dislocated his left index finger during the second Test win over South Africa but X-rays revealed there was no fracture.
England called up Michael Carberry as cover for the middle-order batsman with all-rounder Luke Wright another option.
Collingwood’s 91 in the first innings helped set up England’s win at Durban.
Although Collingwood is still expected to play this weekend, the left-handed Carberry, a member of England’s performance squad, would be a capable replacement.
The 29-year-old hit four centuries in the Championship last season and scored 1,251 runs at an average of 69.
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“In Cape Town, England could be most vulnerable so I think they will concentrate on safe batting”
livingThommo
Collingwood, who picked up his injury during regular fielding practice ahead of the fourth day of the second Test, is in a rich vein of form for England and will be desperate to play.
He was at the crease in the final stages to earn a draw in the first Test and a knock of 91 in Durban last week was the solid foundation needed for England’s stunning victory to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.
In Friday’s practice session at Newlands, Collingwood batted for 10 minutes, did some basic fielding drills, before participating in a formal net session with paceman James Anderson bowling off-spin.