James Anderson bowled excellently on the first day of the second Test against South Africa at Old Trafford, but he had Stuart Broad to thank in part for his second scalp, that of Simon Harmer.

Opening the bowling from the James Anderson end and playing his 100th Test at home, a world first, England’s leading Test wicket-taker finished with figures of 3-32, dismissing opener Saral Erwee early on before returning to take two wickets in two balls.

The first of those, his lbw dismissal of Harmer, was followed by an immediate point to Broad, acknowledging some part his long-time new-ball partner had played in the wicket. Speaking after play, Anderson explained how Broad had helped him work over the South Africa No.7.

“So, the ball before [Harmer] actually lunged at me and got a good stride in,” Anderson explained. “Broady said, ‘Put your square leg back but bowl the same ball’. So I put square leg back thinking he might think I’m going to bounce him. Then his stride was much shorter and he was sort of stuck on the crease.

“I didn’t think about it so it was good that he was thinking about the game and thinking about field positioning. It’s nice when something like that comes off.”

With the wicket of Keshav Maharaj following one ball later, Anderson found himself on a hat-trick, one of the few bowling feats he is yet to achieve in a Test shirt. Broad, the proud owner of two Test hat-tricks, once more had some advice for Anderson, though this time the plan didn’t come together quite as cleanly.

“Stuart was at mid-on and he came over and said, ‘When I took my two international Test hat-tricks, I just went full and straight,” Anderson said with a chuckle. “so I was trying to go full and straight but just got my line horribly wrong. I got bit giddy trying to bowl a bit too quick, probably.”

Broad himself, deprived of the new ball due to Ollie Robinson’s return to the side, claimed 3-37 as South Africa were bowled out for 151. England reached stumps on 111-3.

Watch the Anderson dismissal of Harmer, as planned by Broad, below:

 

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Match CoverageSeries EditorialJames AndersonStuart BroadEngland v South Africa