Coming in at number nine with England needing another 100 to avoid an innings defeat with just two wickets in hand, the former Egerton Park man went on the offensive.

He launched a series of cultured orthodox strokes to the boundary to bamboozle the previously dominant South African attack.

The 22-year-old Nottinghamshire seamer brought up his third Test 50 in four innings off just 41 balls, putting on 60 with last man Pattinson to make South Africa bat again, albeit briefly as they reached their nine-run second innings target without loss.

Broad eventually finished unbeaten on 67 to shoot to the top of the England batting averages after two Tests of the four-march series.

Following his Test best of 76 at Lords he is now averaging 80, just ahead of Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen.

However the young bowler will be very keen to get his bowling average back on track after slumping to 96 with just three wickets for 288 in the series to date.

England are now 1-0 down in the series as they head to Edgbaston on Wednesday.