England- South Africa- the second test at Trent Bridge.

England-South Africa- the Second Test at Trent Bridge.

Summer fell softly on the good citizens of Nottingham. It was early morning at Trent Bridge and the sun was easing its way through the clouds, dancing, glancing, teasing and tempting its way into view before the umpires finally made their way out of the pavilion gates. Cricket should always be played in the summer because no other sport can be quite as thrilling and strategic. There are thought processes at work here, intriguing field placings, and all kinds of secretive mind games. And that's before a ball has even been bowled.

And so we had the second test between England and South Africa, not quite the high profile and prestigious contest that perhaps it should be but still highly valued and keenly anticipated. Still the England- Australia Ashes battle royale gets all of those big headlines and the controversial back stories. It would be strange if it didn't because England and Australia love to poke fun at each other, make slanderous comments in public, throw mud at each other and then knock seven bells out of each other.

But England against South Africa is a match with slightly more modest connotations because the history between these two sides is not nearly as torrid and turbulent as the England- Australia eye ball to eye ball confrontation. Both England and South Africa are well balanced but fully competitive teams with little between them. This was not though a bloodbath or some dreadful grudge match, more of a genuinely good natured contest with a hint of needle but little malice, poison, bile or vitriol in the air.

For some of us Trent Bridge reminded us of some of the greats from yesteryear. Nottingham's proudest sons of course were Harold Larwood and the irrepressible Derek Randall. Larwood was that badly behaved fast bowler who terrorised the Aussies in the notorious Body Line Test back in the 1930s. Larwood bowled a terrifying barrage of bouncers and 100mph bowling that almost broke the hearts of the entire Australian visitors. Larwood was fearsome, ferocious and never held back. Nottingham has rarely produced a quicker bowler with such threatening intent.

Derek Randall was that lovable free scoring batsman who simply melted the hearts of the Trent Bridge crowd during the 1970s. But he'll always be remembered for those long, loping legs that fielded at deep mid wicket with all the care and vigilance of a Nottingham copper. Randall seemed to lope across the ground, lengthening his stride and picking up the ball with both efficiency and athleticism.

Now though Nottingham gave us an England and South Africa Test that started briskly and encouragingly but then fell into the briefest lull before motoring towards a hearty end to the first day of play. South Africa finished on 309-6 which could have been worse but, when all was said and done, fair to middling. They are still a side packed with high quality players but never quite seem to gel on the big occasion. At the moment the likes of India and Pakistan are leading lights on the world stage but South Africa have never been that far behind.

The first ball was smartly clipped off the back foot and there followed a long sequence of flashing cover drives and slashing square cuts that simply whistled over the ground. South Africa were enjoying themselves hugely, feasting hungrily on occasional loose bowling from the England pace attack of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad.

In reasonably rapid succession Dean Elgar was caught brilliantly by Liam Dawson at deep backward square leg, Quinton De Kock was caught by Alistair Cook off the smooth as butter bowling of Stuart Broad, Hashim Amla caught by Mark Wood off the consistently accurate and businesslike bowling of Stuart Broad. Heino Kuhn was bowled by Stuart Broad and Temba Bavuma was caught down the leg side by the superbly agile wicket keeping of Johnny Bairstow.

Now respectability had arrived in the evening shadows and South Africa ended the day with Vernon Philander not out for an impressive 54. This has all the makings of an ebbing and flowing Test series which could be decided by important players and important contributions.There is a long way to go in this match but all the omens suggest that this could be a cracker.

But I have to make one or two observations on body language, fashion statements, and the facial hair of the England players. Jimmy Anderson began by stretching from side to side, quickly rubbing his hands together in anticipation of prolific wicket taking and then bouncing up and down nimbly on his toes when the moment demanded it.

 There were the floppy white hats of the England players which did look appropriately summery and then there were those very classy and voguish beards which have almost become a sporting fashion statement. Are we to suppose that the South Africa batsmen have modelled themselves on WG Grace? What would the good Doctor have made of today's proceedings in Nottingham? Perhaps he would blast his way emphatically to a very confident century or two. A summer without cricket would be a summer in the very poorest of health. For the next few days Trent Bridge will be positively spellbound. Derek Randall would have felt completely at home. In fact is that Randall I can see in the crowd? That's a six into the pavilion umpire. Let the fun begin.