GETTY Nick Compton made his England test debut against India in November 2012

Having forced his way into the England squad for the tour of South Africa, some eyebrows were raised when he was picked to bat at No 3. During his first stint in international cricket, Compton had opened the batting and even on the county circuit he is quite different from most men who come in with one wicket down. His Test strike-rate overall is just under 36, modest by modern standards, but the South African-born batsman believes he hasn’t even begun to show what he can do. “I can understand why people look at me as an opener and I accept those opinions,” Compton said.

England's top 10 overseas Test victories Wed, December 30, 2015 Express Sport takes a look at England's 10 best overseas Test victories Play slideshow Patrick Eagar via Getty Images 1 of 10 England headed to Sydney with the 2010-11 Ashes in the bag but a series win was at stake. Hundreds from Alastair Cook, Ian Bell and Matt Prior set up a total of 644 before the seamers forced the tourists to an innings win

“I must have played tape-ball cricket on every inch of that outfield and the car park behind. “Then when I was sitting there with my pads on and Alastair Cook nicked off to Dale Steyn, there was a split-second when I looked around and said 'what? It’s me? Am I up?’. “It was incredibly weird. I’d always been down at the bottom of these stairs waiting for players to get autographs and you do get these vivid images because the ground hasn’t changed very much. “It’s the same piece of tarmac and same changing room.

There’s a challenge to better myself, to play better and to be what I think I can be Nick Compton, England batsman

“But I thought it was an opportunity that might not have come. “I worked my bollocks off to get there and I remember standing in front of Steyn thinking 'I don’t give a flying whatever, I’m going going to fight here’. “I wanted to know that whether I was going to get 25 more, two more or no more Test matches, at this ground at this time I was out here in the middle and I changed the course of the game. “In 20 years time I wanted to say that I had batted for four hours in the Boxing Day Test.

“It’s better than saying that I nicked off for two.” When England start their summer in earnest at Headingley on May 19, Compton is desperate to be part of the team. And once again it is a ground which holds special significance for him, although for less happy reasons. In only his second Test in England, he scored one in the first innings before getting out for seven after batting for 85 minutes against New Zealand.

GETTY Compton battled for runs in South Africa and earned his place in the squad for Sri Lanka

He was promptly dropped for more than two years just three games after registering back-to-back Test hundreds. “It was very hard,” Compton said. “It was tough at the time. A lot of things go through your head. “Initially you're slightly upset and disappointed but then you dust yourself down and go back to being a professional. “I pride myself on being a professional. “It was important that I went back to Somerset, my county at the time, and did a good job in the games that came up.