COMPTON CENTURY EMULATES GRANDFATHER

A few years ago I had the joyful experience of being able to watch Hutton and Compton batting together. Not, sadly, the original Len and Denis, but their grandsons, Ben and Nick who were both playing for Middlesex at the time. Both lads seemed full of promise but Ben's career never took off and he eventually suffered a terminal decline in form which led to an early retirement from the game. However, Nick prospered and I was fortunate enough to see him score a century at Lord's, the scene of so much of his grandfather's great career.

 

As happens rather too often, Compton then expereicned injury and a loss of form. He left Middlesex and journeyed to Somerset where he has re-established himself as a fine player; not just that, but he has become one of the very best batsmen in county cricket. His reward for perseverance has been a place in the England team and, today, he's become one of the very few players to emulate a forebear by scoring a test match century. At 29, Nick Compton is much older than Denis when he scored his first international century, indeed, he's been far behind Denis all of the way through his career. Denis made his debut for Middlesex when barely 18 years old and scored his first century a matter of a few weeks later; he played his first test match, against New Zealand, when 19, scoring 65, and hit his first test match century, 102 against Australia at Trent Bridge, when just 20. But Denis was a phenomenon, a player of the most extrraordinary abilities with whom it is unfair to compare anyone.

 

Nick Compton has had to carry the weight of dynastic expectations on his shoulders and has got there the hard way. He's come through the ranks, survived injury and poor form and today he has joined his grandfather as a Test Match Centurion. One of the greatest names in English sport is again making headlines and it's not just coincidence. Here's to Denis and Nick, grandfather and grandson, and let's not forget that there was a third Compton, Denis's brother Les who, though never quite making the England team, did sterling work for Middlesex over many years.

 

Jolly well done Nick Compton !!