And i don't want anyone to write me out of the Second Test, starting at Lord's on Thursday. 
I returned to the dressing room at the close of play unscathed and unfazed by the experience of facing 30 deliveries from Pollock and Ntini.
A pain-killing injection just before going out to bat meant that i had no feeling at all in my damaged right index finger but i could still hold the bat. At firest, i was a bit tetative but, once i ahad adjusted my grip a fraction, it was business as usual with Michael Vaughan.
I will work out whether i am fit for Lord's in the two days we have spare after this Birmingham Test.
I have broken many fingers before, including a crack in this one. The injury has come at a bad time and i must do the right thing by the management and the team, but i want to play on Thursday if possible.
Our game plan was the same as normal despite my handicap. Watch the ball, if it's there to be hit, hit it. The pitch looks to be good for batting but we will have to be careful in the first session on the fourth day when the rain may have juiced up th epitch. It's a fairly slow wicket but it will be a hard-day's batting if we are to save the game.
I thought South Africa's skipper, Graeme Smith, batted exceptionally well for his record score for South Africa. All credit to him after a difficult one-day series. He is a good player and probably going to get better, with a good cricket brain to match.
Vaughan's performance as captain in the one-day matches has rightly brought huge praise and given th eplayers a glimpse of what the future may hold when Nasser Hussain finally leaves the Test scene. To my mind, there are two main differences in the approaches of my two England skippers; one of style and one of content.
Nasser never leaves anyone in any doubt as to the depth of his passion. He leads from the front and never asks anyone to do anything he would not expect of himself. He is always firmly in control. Under Michael, the process is far more democratic. During the one day series he was getting players involved all th etime. He has made a point of saying to the younger guys: 'Relax, enjoy yourself, it's just another game of cricket'. So far they have responded. Don't get the impression though, that Michael doesn't care as deeply about the job and team as Nasser.      

Article taken from the Mail on Sunday