James Vince: Hampshire captain targets opening spot for England Test return
Last updated on .From the section Cricket
James Vince hopes a move to opening for Hampshire will enhance his case for a return to England's Test side.
Vince has held conversations with England selector Ed Smith and captain Joe Root to find out how he can reclaim a place in the team this summer, with an Ashes series starting on 1 August.
"The feedback I have got is the higher up the order you bat, the better," the 28-year-old told BBC Radio Solent.
"They're more willing to move people down the order rather than up."
Vince played the last of his 13 Tests in March 2018 against New Zealand, but was overlooked for series against Pakistan and India last summer and the winter tours to Sri Lanka and West Indies.
The Hampshire captain averages 24.90 in 22 Test innings with three half-centuries.
'Three to opener isn't a massive jump'
Despite a hundred in the first Test against Sri Lanka, Keaton Jennings' struggles for the remainder of the winter have made him vulnerable for the visit of Australia. Fellow opener Rory Burns also failed to find any consistency on tour.
"I guess with how the winter has gone, it probably looks from afar that at the top of the order is where spaces may open up," Vince told BBC Radio Solent's Hampshire fans forum.
"I don't think just opening the batting is going to make a difference, but opening and doing it well will.
"Opening for Hampshire isn't a decision based purely on my future and trying to get back in the England side. Jimmy Adams retired last season and we've lost an experienced opener.
"Going from number three to opening isn't a massive jump. It will be more of a mental thing and I think we've got a lot of people at Hampshire who are comfortable in the middle order."
Hampshire first-team manager Adrian Birrell is backing Vince's move.
"He needs to give himself the best chance of playing for England," he said. "My job here is to compete for trophies and produce England players.
"We want to give our players the best possible chance to play for England, so if he puts the numbers on the board, he's got every chance."
Hampshire visit Oxford MCCU for a three-day match starting on Sunday, before getting their County Championship campaign under way against Essex on 5 April.
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So often in England's case, just an over or two.
For me, his biggest problem is that he sometimes seems to find it too easy & plays loosely - similar to Ian Bell early in his career & Joe Root - maybe opening will be the answer for him.
https://www.wisden.com/stories/stats-analysis/james-vince-unlucky-analysis-cricviz
Selfless openers who are able to bat for two sessions will be key against Australia to tire their dangerous pace attack.
In there is a magnificent batsman. Play well Vince and make us pick you.
but if Vince scores runs as opener then ok but needs to be big runs not pretty 30s or 40s.
Duckett is a good shout as well.
Denley and Burns deserve more time.
Amazing talent that should have been called up by England years ago.
It's just up to somebody to churn out the hundreds at county level to get a chance at test level and then make that spot their own.
He did score 201no in a 487 ball 10 hour innings at Taunton last year, so he can apply himself.
As all the centrally contracted players prefer to hide down the order, fair play to him.