With all the furore over Kevin Pietersen it may have gone unnoticed that England need to find an opening batsman this summer - and Middlesex's Nick Compton has issued a reminder the selectors may not need to look any further than him.

The ex-Somerset man, who played his last innings for England almost two years ago, hit a precious 117 in a six hour vigil at the crease for his new county on Tuesday - an effort that came from 237 balls and featured 17 fours.

It helped Middlesex, the current LV= County Championship Division One leaders, recover from a precarious 152 for five to finish 362 all out chasing Hampshire's first innings 413 at the Ageas Bowl.

Jonathan Trott, England captain Alastair Cook's most recent partner at the top of the order, retired from international cricket earlier this month in the wake of a miserable tour of the West Indies.

Compton,  who played club cricket at Richmond in the early part of his career, averages 31 with the bat in nine Test appearances for his country - including a highest score of 117.

And the 31-year-old says he is the man England should turn to for this summer's Ashes series.

''My desire to play for England burns as brightly as ever. I want to prove that I am still a force to be reckoned with," he said.

''I feel we need guys at the top of the order who can bat through tough sessions and I am one of those guys.

"'This has to be one of my better hundreds in first-class cricket. My form until now has been a bit here and there, it has not quite clicked.

"The pitch was never easy. I have made some important contributions in low-scoring games and made this one all the more enjoyable.

'' My century was an important one in the state of play at the start of the day. We had a lot of work to do and I am pleased we got a decent total.''

Compton's efforts followed up his 53-ball 78 in last Friday's Natwest T20 Blast defeat to Gloucester at Lord's.

His century on Tuesday was his first for Middlesex since 2009 and his first since returning to the club over the winter having moved to the Richmond area on a permanent basis.