Sport moves fast – Ben Compton goes from relative unknown to England contention

Ben Compton reflected on a “crazy” past couple of months that have propelled him from a relative unknown to fending off questions about a possible England call-up in the future.

Despite having a surname of cricketing royalty – his grandfather Denis is celebrated as one of the all-time greats and his cousin Nick also batted for England – Compton has waited years for his big break.

Given a chance by Kent this season, the left-handed opening batter is averaging a spectacular 109.75 after amassing 878 LV= Insurance County Championship runs, which is the most in either division.

Compton could impress England’s selectors as a County Select XI take on New Zealand at Chelmsford this week but any international ambitions take a backseat to his mantra of focusing on a game at a time.

The 28-year-old told the PA news agency: “Of course I have dreams to play for England but I’m not getting distracted by that or potentially even feeding that idea.

“This is my first full season in first-team cricket. I’m just really driven to be a reliable top-order batter for Kent and be someone who can give them a strong start in four-day cricket.

“That’s my real focus and I’m going to see where that takes me. If my game’s in decent order then that’s great.”

England’s top-order woes in recent years have been well-publicised so when asked whether it is a sign of how far he has come in being asked about his Test aims, he said: “It’s crazy. Sport moves fast.”

Compton arrived in the UK in his late teens in order to forge a cricket career in England but it has been a circuitous journey as he has waited patiently and worked painstakingly for an opportunity.

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