South African umpire Marais Erasmus overruled on-field umpire Aleem Dar’s not out decision when England number three Trott was trapped in front. 

Trott was and remains convinced he hit the ball, negating any possibility of LBW, but with no evidence of his bat being struck in the absence of hotspot being momentarily unavailable, he was given.

After the day’s play bowler James Anderson, who took his 14th five wicket haul in Test cricket, said: “Trotty hit the ball and was given not out on the field. I’m not quite sure what went on after that. It’s pretty disappointing really.”

“He did hit it. It is frustrating that it got overturned,” said Anderson.

“We’re all for technology, because since it’s come in more decisions are given out correctly than wrongly. From our point of view we want it; whatever has gone on today provides a couple of talking points, but on the whole we’re happy to have it.”

The 98 runs scored by 19-year-old debutant Ashton Agar could have been much different too, with another video umpire call going in favour of the Aussies when the best ever number 11 was on just six.

A stumping from Matt Prior off the bowling of Graeme Swann was turned down by Erasmus, who decided he couldn’t be sure if part of the Aussie’s foot was behind the line when the keeper dislodged a bail.

Anderson believes he had a better view than the repeated video replays on that too.

“I thought it was out. I saw it on the big screen, but it’s hard to tell sometimes,” he said. “Matt thought it was out.

“But I think he and Hughes played really well. They played their shots when they could and really put us under pressure. On debut he played brilliantly, and really did frustrate us for a while.”

After losing the two early wickets of Trott and earlier Joe Root, England’s Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen have rallied to get their side ahead with eight wickets in hand. 

The game that seems to have had everything already after two days is in the balance. 

“First and foremost we’ve got to bat very very well in the morning to get in any sort of position to win this game,” Anderson said.

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