Compton puts England behind him to lift Middlesex title hopes

Middlesex 408 for 6 (Gubbins 145, Compton 131, Onions 3-76) lead Durham 204 (Rayner 4-17, Franklin 3-26) by 204 runs Scorecard

The hearty cheers that reverberated around Lord’s told their own tale. Nick Compton had not merely reached a century at HQ, but had helped Middlesex into a position of dominance and, in the process, strengthened his team’s hold on the summit of Division One. So as he punched the air in delight at his century, removing his helmet to acknowledge the crowd’s applause, Compton had much reason to be proud.

That recent months have been among the most trying of Compton’s professional life hardly needs restating. Indeed, when he brought up his 50, it was his first half-century of the year, and first since his crucial 85 underpinned England’s victory in the Durban Test at the end of 2015.

Given these circumstances, and the huge importance of this match to his team, few of Compton’s 25 first-class centuries can have been the cause of so much satisfaction. On this evidence, plenty more will be forthcoming in the County Championship. Compton has only just turned 33, retains one of the most resolute defensive techniques in the land and has a ravenous appetite for runs that few can rival in the county game.

There seems no reason why, if he has the inclination, he cannot continue to feast in the shires for many years, a little like Marcus Trescothick and Mark Ramprakash, two other players who, for contrasting reasons, enjoyed international careers shorter than they had envisaged.

Adhesive defence has been Compton’s hallmark, and this innings was no different: he had to summon all of his fortitude to resist Rushwoth’s swing and the bounce of Mark Wood. And yet Compton revealed plenty …

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