With Test Cricket returning to Nottingham in 2020, trentbridge.co.uk takes a look at one of the most hostile fast-bowling spells in international cricket history, when England and South Africa met at the ground in 1998.

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Fast bowling is back in fashion.

From the West Indies and Australia’s fearsome pace quartets to Jofra Archer’s incendiary spell against Steve Smith in the Ashes, this year has seen a renaissance of the game’s most intimidating art.

Before Archer v Smith, you would have to go back a generation for the last example of a duel which has gone on to define Test cricket at its captivating best.

Trent Bridge, complete with newly-redeveloped Radcliffe Road End, was the venue as England v South Africa caught fire in a way few Test matches ever have.

At its heart, a face-off between a defiant Mike Atherton and one of the age’s most aggressive pacemen in Allan Donald.

Test four, day four, innings four: the series, and the summer, came down to one nine-over spell as England chased 247 to level the series.

And in the space of one Donald delivery from the Pavilion End, the blue touchpaper was set aflame.

Right-arm, round the wicket, Donald launched a guided missile homing in on Atherton’s throat.

The opener’s only defence was self-defence, but in preventing himself from suffering serious harm, Atherton could only parry the ball into the grateful gloves of Mark Boucher.

The South African cordon celebrated; Donald sprinted away, left arm aloft. But umpire Steve Dunne remained unmoved – and Atherton showed no indication of walking of his own volition.

If Donald’s sunblock-smeared face didn’t betray his displeasure, his four-letter diatribe certainly did.

Donald glared at Atherton. Atherton stared unflinchingly back. The tension ratcheted up another notch.

Atherton chopped the next, fuller delivery past his stumps to the boundary.

Donald replied with a series of short, hostile balls that Atherton could only duck beneath or fend into the off side.

All the while, the South African glared, chest out, as if spoiling for this most traditional of Sunday afternoon Test-match scenes to descend into a brawl.

Atherton, impassive, was unmovable.

And the Lancastrian remained resolute enough to see off the right-armer’s spell.

England won the battle – triumphing by eight wickets on the fifth day – and would go on to win the war, completing a 2-1 series victory in the next Test at Headingley.

But when memories of the match result and series result have faded away, those of Atherton and Donald’s 40-minute bout will linger on.

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