The MCC World Cricket Committee sounded a warning about the future health of Test cricket last week but beyond this startling top line was a reminder from the think-tank led by Mike Brearley that there remains so much to be celebrated about the longest form of the game.
An undulating first day at Trent Bridge was the latest example of what a compelling spectacle it remains, with England and South Africa wrestling for control throughout the course of three gripping sessions, trading punch and counterpunch before the tourists eventually closed on a competitive if not indomitable 309 for six.
Nottingham has long been a favourite on the circuit, of course, both for England’s record – six wins and a draw in their last seven Tests including the dramatic reclaiming of the Ashes two years ago – and the intimate atmosphere thrown up by a ground that makes up one third of a historic sporting hub on the banks of the River Trent.
Notts County may have finished 16th in League Two last season, while the once mighty Nottingham Forest have sat outside the top flight since 1999 and were recently sold for the same money that now buys Manchester City a right-back, but when the floodlights of all three grounds come into view during the stroll from town, it is hard not to get excited.
Such feelings are undoubtedly shared by Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson when they arrive at the ground – the former had a city tram named after him following the eight for 15 against Australia in 2015, while the latter boasts six of his 21 five-wicket hauls here – and so when Faf du Plessis called correctly at the toss and elected to bat, heads were never going to drop.
South Africa will have been pleased with their morning’s work, lasting longer than the 18.3 overs Michael Clarke’s tourists managed two years ago as they reached 56 for one under overcast skies after the loss of the opener Dean Elgar – Anderson’s 300th Test wicket at home coming via a spectacular flying catch from Liam Dawson at backward point.
When the burbling Nottingham crowd settled back down after lunch they were treated to a compelling passage of play as Broad and Anderson shared 11 overs that fitted Brearley’s description. Here were England’s most prolific new-ball pairing going hammer and tongs at the South Africans, who in turn demonstrated the fight this marquee series needed.
Broad got the ball rolling, removing Heino Kuhn with a ball that jagged off the straight and clattered into leg stump via inside edge. This breakthrough wicket brought the uber-talent that is wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock to the crease at No4 – a first in his career – as he and the already set Hashim Amla began to counterattack.
The next 15 minutes or so were simply absorbing. Four of the world’s leading players were locked in a duel where ball held slight sway over bat. Amla, whose returns of late have been curiously low, had earlier been threading fours with precision but met fresh air when Anderson got his outswinger going, while at the other end the classy De Kock oozed intent from the outset.
The South African pair survived this mini battle as Broad and Anderson started to tire, forcing Joe Root to look elsewhere and duly tucking into what the England captain came up with. Their electric stand of 113 for the third wicket came at over four runs an over, with he only chance offered when Alastair Cook failed to cling to on a finger-nail busting low effort at slip off Amla on 56.
Broad, among the city’s most famous sporting sons albeit via Leicestershire’s academy, would go on to have the final say in his return after tea, however, as De Kock slashed at a wide one first up and this time Cook held on. Amla was then left to rue a pull shot to deep square-leg that seemed incredulous given the sage right-hander had already seen three previous attempts fall short.
As the supporters filed back into town after stumps, past the two famous football grounds and towards the nightlife, among their dissection of the day will surely have been some cooing about the quartet of leading players that, in the periods after lunch and tea, had served up contest well worth celebrating.
