James Vince will take comfort from two things when he walks out to bat in a Test for the first time this week.
Firstly, he has friends in the dressing room willing him on, backing his corner after forging strong relationships following a winter with England's white ball squad.
Secondly, he knows Headingley well, having scored a fine, backs-to-the-wall hundred just last month against an attack that included Sidebottom, Plunkett and Rashid.
“We were up against it a little bit,” said Vince.
“Hopefully we are in a different position here. It was nice to spend some time in the middle and get some runs. It gives me a bit of confidence coming back here.
“Coming into a dressing room where I spent some of the winter with Rooty, Stokesy, Halesy – quite a few of the guys - it’s nice. It’s been good seeing them because I am good friends with a lot of them.
“I have wanted to be part of it and in the last six to 12 months I have gradually forced my way in a little bit. It will be nice to kick on and become part of this side.
“From the way the guys have played, it’s quite a positive brand of cricket, hopefully the way I play fits into it.”
It was during Hampshire’s match against Lancshire last week when when Vince got the news from National Selector James Whitaker that he would be adding to his four ODI caps and one T20 outing.
“I missed the call first and then phoned back,” he explained. “It was fingers crossed – I wasn’t quite sure what he was going to say.
“As soon as he said I was in it was a proud moment. I was delighted. I had a long journey home to really let it sink in. Since then I have been looking forward to getting down here and getting started.”
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