Rory Burns was delighted to deliver on the big stage with a debut Ashes century, having toiled badly in the warm-up Test against Ireland last week.
The England opener twice made just six against Ireland at Lord's as the host threatened to be embarrassed.
Burns' underwhelming display might not have boosted England's hopes heading into the first Test against Australia at Edgbaston, but the Surrey man was 125 not out at the end of day two as the host reached 267-4.
England, with six wickets still in hand, moved to within 17 runs of Australia's first-innings total of 284 as the home crowd chanted Burns' name following his maiden Test century.
It was a long way from the previous week's struggles, as the opener attested to afterwards.
"That was pretty good - quite an enjoyable experience," Burns told Sky Sports. "[It feels] different to the Ireland Test match last week.
READ | Ashes 2019: Burns maiden Test ton puts host in command on Day 2
"It was awesome, a really good experience, that stand rocking and this place going. It was quite something."
Describing his thoughts after the Ireland match, he added: "I was just thinking that I've been trying to embrace the opportunities as they come, and the next game's another opportunity.
"I just wanted to put myself in position to take that opportunity. I was struggling with my rhythm at Lord's and I was just trying to fight to get that feeling back."
There was a long nervy stretch for Burns in the final session as he crept towards his century, facing 10 deliveries on 99 before getting the single to reach the landmark.
"I was just waiting for a ball that was, 'Dead cert, that's going'," he added. "I was playing with myself, telling myself not to sweep because I wanted it. I just wanted something in my arc."
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