SOUTH AFRICA ENGLAND NO HOLDING BACK!

Compton says No.3 Denly is poised for his first Test ton and holds key to getting England off to winning start

JOE DENLY is being backed to inspire England to Boxing Day glory in South Africa from No.3.

That is exactly what Nick Compton did four years ago in Durban when his 85 set the platform for a 241-run Christmas win over the Proteas.

It also set the foundations for a 2-1 series victory that would do nicely for skipper Joe Root after he failed to win a Test series in 2019.

Compton believes Denly, with four 50s in his last five matches and fresh from his first 100 for England in the warm-up match in Benoni, will have plenty more gifts for his team-mates over the series. “Batting in the top three, it is your job to set the game up,” said Compton. “And that is what Joe has been doing more and more with each chance he gets.

“I’ve been really impressed with the way he has shown that he has an all-round game and is far more than a strokemaker.

“He has a great defence and he has shown against Australia and New Zealand he can be brave and score tough runs.

“There’s no doubt he’s got all the shots – I saw plenty of that in county cricket, but he’s added to that and it would be nothing less than he deserves if he can get that hundred in Centurion.”

Compton deserved a ton back in 2015 when he and James Taylor added 123 for the fourth wicket and gave fans a glimpse of a batting line-up expected to flourish for years.

But neither plays cricket any more, through retirement and a medical condition respectively, but South Africa remains a place close to their hearts.

“It was fun batting with James and putting on a partnership that really helped the team,” added Compton.

“Kingsmead was a special ground for me because I had grown up as a kid near there and had actually helped out the groundsman when I was about 12. There was a moment when Alastair Cook got out and I was almost waiting to see who would walk out to bat, then I realised I had the pads on and it was me getting to do the thing I had longed to do.

“I had to work so hard to get the runs I did and I put so much pressure on myself and in the end that is not sustainable.”

Denly doing some exercises with James Anderson during training yesterday serious illness. Ged was admitted to hospital in Johannesburg on Monday and England star Stokes (right) missed training to be at his bedside. He was back with teammates yesterday once his father was in a stable condition. Ged is in South Africa to watch Ben play in the Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests. And although Ged remains in intensive care, Stokes is now focused on playing. “It is down to Ben whether he plays or not,” said skipper Joe Root. “Family comes first and all we can do is throw support behind Ben.”