Rookie Nick Compton is a perfect fit for the team, says Jonathan Trott

Jonathan Trott praised his partner Nick Compton after the pair’s record second wicket partnership today.

Both men scored centuries. It was Trott’s ninth of his career and Compton’s second in five days.

“The art in cricket is finding that balance between the intensity of wanting it too much and being a bit too relaxed when you go to the crease,” said Trott. “Compton’s balance is very good, he works extremely hard and he fits right into this team.”

The pair put on 210 for the second wicket, England’s highest in New Zealand, beating the 182 of Mike Atherton and Alec Stewart in Auckland 16 years ago. Although both played and missed a little as the ball moved about early in the innings neither gave a chance until Compton was out, Trott remained unbeaten on 121 after the captain Alastair Cook was out in the 11 over of the innings.

“It is a great start to Compo’s career and we want him to go on and open the batting with Alistair for a while,” said Trott. Andrew Strauss did that for a long period of time and they were both highly successful.

It’s crucial to a team’s success having a solid opening partnership who understand each other’s game.

“I think the top three has to get on very well actually and work together. It can be tricky at times, sometimes it can be a good wicket like today when it’s a little bit easier.”

Trott warned that England must not look too far ahead. Although he looked nailed on a for a hundred from a long way out today he insisted that he never took it more than a couple overs at a time.