Anderson praises Crawley after under-fire opener helps England take command of second Test 

Jimmy Anderson praised a ‘brilliantly intelligent’ innings from Zak Crawley as 13 wickets fell on a helter-skelter first day of the second LV= Insurance Test against South Africa in Manchester.

England’s out-of-form opener reached stumps on a careful but crucial 17 not out as Ben Stokes’s team – desperate to hit back after last week’s innings defeat at Lord’s – reached 111 for three in reply to the tourists’ 151 all out. Jonny Bairstow is unbeaten on 38.

‘I thought Zak did brilliantly for someone whose output has not been as good as he’d want it to be,’ said Anderson. ‘Today he read the situation and played exactly how we needed him to play.

England opener Zak Crawley receives a pat on the back from Jonny Bairstow at close of play

‘It was very tricky against that new ball. It started reversing as well after about 15 overs, and the way he played allowed Jonny to play his natural game. I thought that was a brilliantly intelligent innings from him.’

Earlier, Anderson had taken three for 32 from 15 high-class overs on his home ground, having become the first player in history to play 100 Tests in his own country.

He even found himself on a hat-trick bowling from the end that bears his name after trapping Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj leg-before – only to spear his next delivery to Kagiso Rabada harmlessly down the leg side.

England’s out-of-form opener reached stumps on a careful but crucial 17 not out

Anderson, who has a one-day international hat-trick to his name, against Pakistan at The Oval in 2003, but is yet to take one in 174 Tests, admitted: ‘Stuart [Broad] was at mid-on, and came over and said, “When I took my two Test hat-tricks, I tried to go full and straight.”

‘I tried to do that, but got my line horribly wrong. I got a bit giddy, and tried to bowl it a bit too quick.’

Anderson said it had been a ‘good toss to lose’ after Dean Elgar chose to bat under grey Mancunian skies, but Rabada – who took the key wicket of Joe Root – defended the move on the basis that the South Africans had picked both Maharaj and off-spinner Simon Harmer.

England bowler Jimmy Anderson celebrates dismissing Keshav Maharaj at Old Trafford

‘Generally if you play two spinners, you want to bat first,’ he said. ‘The wicket is getting drier and drier by the second. I think it was the right decision.’

But the 27-year-old Rabada had kind words for the 40-year-old Anderson: ‘He’s still getting wickets at his age, and he’s a legend of the game. He keeps proving why he is. He’s a phenomenal bowler, and he showed that again today.

‘Having a beer with him after this series and asking him a few questions would be something I need to do.’