‘‘BRITISH BULLDOG’’ Paul Collingwood personifies the mettle Andy Flower hopes will help England deliver a series victory in South Africa.

Collingwood was one of three players who covered themselves in glory as England somehow clung on with nine wickets down, for the second time in three matches, to deny their hosts victory in the third Test at Newlands.

Ian Bell and number 11 Graham Onions, reprising his central role to block out the final over just as he had in the first Test at Centurion, were the others who served their country so well on Thursday.

Coach Flower was full of admiration as he reflected on England’s winter achievements so far, and set his sights on finishing the job in the final Test in Johannesburg next week.

After their victory in Durban over Christmas, England are in an unbeatable position – 1-0 up in the series, with one match to play.

But Flower insisted: ‘‘We’re not thinking about the fact we can’t lose it. We want to win it – and we’d like to win it 2-0.’’ To that end, he is delighted to have Collingwood et al on his side.

‘‘He’s a typical British bulldog,’’ Flower said of the Durham batsman, who shared a century stand with Bell to keep South Africa at bay for 57 overs and buy Onions just enough time for his heroic repeat to again save the day.

‘‘He’s a great fighter, great to have in the changing room, lots of energy – and what we have seen is he’s been using some of the experience gained over the years to help him through these situations.’’ England had to stand by Collingwood when he lost form at home to South Africa two summers ago, and have done likewise at times with Bell – selected in this series as an extra batsman when they could easily have gone down a different route.

Both have repaid the faith handsomely over the past two weeks, and Flower added: ‘‘When you talk about consistency of selection, that is one result of it – you get hardened cricketers from this exposure to playing the best sides in the world.

‘‘We want to go on to greater things with this England side, so we’re happy to have fight as a characteristic in our dressing room.

‘‘But it’s also something I think English cricketers will inherently have, because they’re playing for their country.’’ Twenty-seven-year-old Bell appears a changed man in England’s last two Tests – and Flower is hoping there is much more to come.

‘‘His big hundred in Durban, that contributed to getting us into a winning position, and then a match-saving innings yesterday certainly will make him feel personally more confident,’’ he said.

‘‘It was really good for all of us to see that he can perform like that under pressure again.’’ Bell and others’ runs were needed partly because Kevin Pietersen could manage only six in two innings at Newlands.

Flower has no immediate concerns, though, about the well-being of one of England’s most productive batsmen.

‘‘All players have dips occasionally, and he’s no different,’’ the coach said of Pietersen.

‘‘He’s got a superb record.

He’s had a dip just very recently – this last Test wasn’t a good one for him personally – but he made his contributions to the draw as well, out in the field and in the changing room.”