James Anderson has aimed a cheeky dig at close friend and long-time bowling partner Stuart Broad by claiming he is "the more intelligent bowler".
Anderson and Broad were interviewed in the matchday programme for the second Test between England and South Africa and were asked if there was an aspect of the other's game they wish they had.
"Maybe his height," was Anderson's response. "He doesn't make full use of it. But I'm the more intelligent bowler, so I would.
"And probably that self-belief that he has, the kind that gets him on those hot streaks. I have self-belief but not like him - I'd love a bit of that."
It is the kind of interaction that sums up the pair's relationship, with Anderson revealing during the Test that Broad took a cheeky dig at him after he missed out on a maiden Test match hat-trick in the first innings.
After dismissing both Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj in successive balls, Anderson got his line slightly wrong for the hat-trick delivery as the ball to Kagiso Rabada went harmlessly down the leg side.
"Stuart was at mid-on and came over and said 'when I took my two international hat-tricks, I just want to full and straight'," Anderson later revealed. "So I was trying to go full and straight but I just got my line horribly wrong. I got a bit giddy trying to bowl it a bit too quick, probably."
He also admitted it was Broad's advice which led to the dismissal of Harmer in the first place, adding: "The ball before he actually lunged at me and got a good stride in. Stuart said 'put your square-leg back and make him think you're going to bounce him and then bowl the same [full] ball'.
"Then his stride was much smaller and he was stuck on the crease. It's good that he suggested it. I was thinking about the game and the field positioning. It's nice when something like that comes off."
