Nick Compton is taking an indefinite break from cricket following what the England batsman’s county side, Middlesex, have described as a “challenging start to the 2016 season, both physically and mentally”.
Compton, 32, found his place in the Test side under increasing scrutiny during the 2-0 win against Sri Lanka and having struggled for form all summer – the right‑hander averages 16.77 from 11 first‑class innings – was expected to be replaced in the No3 position for the series against Pakistan next month.
A statement from Middlesex read: “Following a challenging start to the 2016 season, both physically and mentally, it has been agreed that the best way forward is for Compton to spend some time away from the game.”
Angus Fraser, the county’s director of cricket, told TalkSport: “He came out of the Test series, we sat down and spoke and told him to have a few days off but earlier this week we met up and decided a longer break was needed.
“He cares deeply about his cricket, tried his socks off, but physically and mentally he’s not where he wants to be and we think the best way forward is not to go to the nets and spend hours and hours training. Hopefully this will refresh him and recharge him and he will come back for Middlesex and show what a fine player he is. Cricket gives you a lot of time to ruminate, especially in games that take five days, and when it’s not going your way there is a lot of soul searching.”
Compton, who turns 33 on Sunday, had forced his way back into the England team for the tour to South Africa last December following a two-year absence and while his initial impact was positive – he scored 85 and 49 in the Boxing Day Test at Durban – the returns dwindled thereafter.
Should this current break from playing not result in a future glut of runs for Middlesex and another Test comeback, his international career would finish with 16 caps, a batting average of 28.7 and two hundreds scored during his first spell in the side, having played in four series victories and one draw.
Speaking after the Sri Lanka series the England head coach, Trevor Bayliss, admitted Compton’s position was going to be reviewed by the selectors, adding: “He has been a good part of the success we have had. It is not possible for every single person in the squad to score runs but what I will say is that he leaves no stone unturned when it comes to preparation.”
Durham’s Scott Borthwick, who has scored 580 runs in Division One this summer and made three hundreds, is favourite to replace Compton for the first Test against Pakistan at Lord’s beginning on 14 July although another option would be for the wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow to revert to the role of specialist batsman and move up the order, with either Lancashire’s Jos Buttler or Ben Foakes of Surrey playing behind the stumps.
