Nick Compton - Breakthrough at Middlesex

Breakthrough At Middlesex

Upon completing his A levels at Harrow in June 2001, Compton joined Middlesex on a summer contract, and entered into the record books in his debut Second XI Championship match, Compton was the last of five batsman out in six balls bowled by Glamorgan paceman Alex Wharf. Compton made his Middlesex first-team debut in the Norwich Union League at the end of the 2001 season, batting at six he scored just 6 runs from 9 deliveries in a 40 run defeat by Glamorgan. His promising performances for Middlesex's Under-19s and Second XI led him to receive the NBC Denis Compton Award, named after his grandfather, awarded to the most promising Middlesex player for 2001. The following winter, he was selected for the England Under-19s squad to take part in the ICC Under-19 World Cup in January and February 2002. Compton played in five of England's six matches as they reached the second group stage, Compton scoring 133 runs with one 50 at an average of 23.

In July 2002, Compton made his U19 Test match debut against India, but made a total of just six runs from his two innings opening the batting. He had to wait until August for his next first-team appearance where he played four further Norwich Union League, impressing in reaching his maiden one day half-century with an 86 not out against Lancashire. His promise saw him awarded Middlesex's NBC Denis Compton award for the second consecutive year. Compton did not play at all for the Middlesex first team during the 2003 season due to injury and made his first-class debut against Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence in May 2004, Compton played a further three matches in the County Championship that season, in addition to ten one day matches and his Twenty20 debut. He only played in one first-class match in 2005 but scored his debut half-century in the match against Cambridge UCCE.

He established himself in 2006, with a string of strong scores, including six centuries, and was award a county cap by the Middlesex in that season. His breakthrough season saw him score 1,315 runs at an average of 46.96, topping Middlesex's first-class runs charts, with his highest score of 190 coming in the County Championship match against Durham in July helping Middlesex to draw the match after being forced to follow-on. This breakthrough saw Compton awarded the NBC Denis Compton Award for a third time in 2006. Compton's good form saw him selected to tour with the England A team in Bangladesh in 2006-07. His highest score in a first-class match was 92 against Bangladesh A as he topped the England A averages with 140 runs at 46.66, though he did hit 152* in one of the minor tour matches.