South Africa vs England 2017: 2nd Test day 1, 5 talking points

#3 The Anderson-Amla contest

Anderson bowled an outstanding spell to Hashim Amla after he took his 300th wicket at home

When two of the best lock horns, sparks are bound to fly. Contests between the bat and ball rarely come better than James Anderson vs Hashim Amla on a breezy morning in Trent Bridge. Every cricket fan’s delight, the contest lived up to its billing. Anderson kept a tidy line to Amla, probing the fourth stump line with his outswingers.

Soon, he hit his straps and between overs 20-30, had Amla in all sorts of trouble. Such was his consistency that Amla found it difficult to get off the mark. The occasional one also straightened, adding to Amla's woes.

But as is the case with all class batsmen, the South African veteran came back with a strong reply in the 29th over, punching Anderson through the covers with pinpoint accuracy. The disciplined seamer, however, returned to his immaculate lines and to beat Amla’s edge frequently. It was sheer delight for the crowd gathered at the ground who witnessed one of the best battles of the season.