Hayden will know my name now, says Vince

James Vince believes the impressive performances of England’s Ashes rookies on day one of the series in Brisbane served as the perfect rebuke to their Australian critics.

Matthew Hayden had labelled Vince one of the “no names” in the England side ahead of the first Test, but the Hampshire batsman’s 83 – together with Mark Stoneman’s 53 and Dawid Malan’s 28 not out – combined to help the tourists emerge largely unscathed from a tense first day.

Four years ago, in the same press room at the Gabba, Stuart Broad walked in after a good first day for England and threw down a copy of the Brisbane Courier Mail that had goaded him on the front page.

Vince is not quite as a showy as his colleague but, in his understated way, he savoured his moment.

“Reading comments like that [from Hayden] give you an extra incentive to go out and make a statement,” he said. “If he didn’t know who we were at the start of the day, he probably does now.

“I have had stuff said since I got called up after my last effort at Test cricket and I guess it gives you a bit more fight, a bit more inspiration to prove people wrong.

“I felt reasonably calm given the occasion and that it was my first knock in Test cricket for a while. I tried to enjoy it as much as anything but maintain focus and enjoy playing an Ashes Test at the Gabba without it getting on top of me. I got the balance quite right.”

Pat Cummins, playing his first Test at home, saved Australia’s pace attack from a humbling first day after so much hype. His extra speed was crucial and the reward for running in hard all day was the wicket of Joe Root.

“In terms of a fast bowler’s wicket it was a dream wicket. It is one of the most satisfying I have ever got,” Cummins said. “To set him up with a couple of overs of outswing and then bowl a big inswinger only comes off one in a hundred times but when it does it is a pretty special wicket. Fortunately it was their captain and I couldn’t be happier with that.”

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