Taking the Denis out of Nick Compton
A young Durban-born cricketer is carving a name for himself in English cricket and moving out of his grandfather’s enormous shadow
E course, being a young teenager, I was hugely impressionable, and I’ve never forgotten that moment. It meant a huge deal to me and helped to bring my ambitions into focus.”
Nick will never play for his country of birth, but he never went the bitter “KP” route, criticising his country’s selection policies as a reason for his departure. He never needed to, playing provincial age-level cricket throughout his time at prep and high school, before deciding that the lure of England, informed by his family history, was the way to go.
“I’m very proud of my South African upbringing and connections. I have fond memories of my time there where I grew up in a sports-mad culture,” Nick told me this week. Asked if there were any particular mentors, Nick mentioned Grayson Heath and (former Dolphins and South Africa coach) Graham Ford but particularly acknowledged the efforts of Leicestershire pro and England age-group development coach Tim Boon who was impressed by the young schoolboy batting in the Kingsmead nets.
Catalyst
“As it turned out, he knew my dad (Richard) as they both played for Pirates. It was Tim who came and coached me at my home, and he told me that I would be a serious player one day. He was the major catalyst in making me decide that playing cricket in England was what I wanted to do.”
He received a cricket scholarship to Winston Churchill’s alma mater, Harrow, scored a ton of runs under the watchful eye of housemaster (and famous Premier League soccer referee) David Elleray, and then joined his grandfather’s county, Middlesex.
The move turned out to be something of a mixed blessing for the youngster. There was the thrill of scoring his maiden first-class century at Lord’s, but also the frustration of slow progress, because of a mysterious, lingering injury (now overcome), as well as the growing feeling that he needed a fresh impetus to boost his career.
That duly arrived when he joined Somerset in 2010, swopping the bright lights of London for the quieter, more rustic Taunton. The move proved hugely beneficial. As it turned out, Somerset’s ambitious director of cricket, Brian Rose, didn’t want Nick to compete with stroke-players of the calibre of skipper Marcus Trescothick, Craig Kieswetter and the explosive Jos Buttler. Instead, he wanted him to bat at three and hold the innings together, providing it with a spine.
“Initially I found that difficult. When you’re batting with flair players you’re tempted to emulate them and try to dominate the bowling, hitting the first half-volley you see through the covers for four. Then, gradually, I changed my philosophy. Now I try to bat for long periods of time and do a job for my team in that way.”
Not surprisingly, his early hero, Jacques Kallis, remains an inspiration, as is his contemporary, Hashim Amla, not to mention the recently retired “wall”, Rahul Dravid.
“Those guys illustrate how important the mind is in cricket. It’s like doing a business deal. You don’t want to rush into a decision high on nerves and excitement. You want to take a walk on the beach and think it over calmly and dispassionately before committing yourself. That’s how I try to bat. If you see me practising in the nets, you’re more likely to see me working on my forward defence than a reverse-sweep!”
Of course, none of this would go down particularly well with his dashing grandfather. “I remember him watching me practise as a youngster once. I thought I was doing well, keeping a high left elbow and showing good technique. After a while he couldn’t contain himself any longer and said: ‘Nick, hit the bloody ball!’”
Nick laughs, acknowledging his grandfather’s point that sometimes intense self-analysis and an obsession with technique can be self-defeating. But, for perhaps the first time in his career, Compo junior is coming from a position of strength. He knows and appreciates where he’s come from, but, like a writer discovering his own style, he’s worked through his influences and discovered who he is and how he intends to succeed.