Former England captain Nasser Hussain vowed to keep proving his critics wrong after making an unbeaten 108 at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
Hussain's innings was one of the pillars of England's 296 for three at stumps on the first day of the third Test against South Africa.
Mark Butcher made 106 while debutant Ed Smith was 40 not out.
"I wish people would look at the statistics with me," said Hussain following criticism of his attitude in England's overwhelming innings defeat in the second Test at Lord's.
"I've had a phenomenal couple of months for Essex and I'm always in for the fight," Hussain, 35, insisted as England looked to level the five match series at one apiece.
"I'll keep doing that on Friday," added Hussain, also under fire for resigning the Test captaincy after the drawn series opener at Edgbaston.
Hussain repeatedly punched their air after a single off Jacques Kallis gave him his first Test century in nearly a year.
But he maintained the gesture was not aimed at his media critics.
"It was just a release from the frustration of the past few weeks," explained Hussain, who now has 13 Test centuries in all.
RSS