Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 surprised at Nick Compton’s exclusion – Cricket News
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MJ-Clarke-c1978, the Australian skipper, is impressed by Nick Compton and is surprised that the English selectors have axed the right-handed opener from the squad for the first Test of the Ashes series,
which begins today at Trent Bridge.
Grandson of the legendary English cricketer, Dennis Compton, Nick made his Test debut last year during the tour of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754. Failure to deliver the goods in
the two-match series prompted the selectors to drop the 30-year-old cricketer for the Ashes, with the youngster, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AN-Cook-c1026.
Compton feels hard done by the selectors because he scored back to back hundreds against the Black Caps earlier this year and looked to be flourishing at the ultimate stage of the sport.
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 born cricketer played two warm up matches against the touring Australian team before the commencement of the Ashes and scored a couple of valiant half-centuries.
Clarke is yet to see the potential of Root but he is quite impressed with the technique of Compton, who created problems for the Australian bowling attack during the warm up games. The Australian captain is relieved that he will
not have to cope with the talented right-handed batsman in the Ashes opener.
“We haven't bowled to Joe yet but we didn't manage to get Nick out that easily, so I'm happy he's not playing to be honest,” the Aussie skipper said while commenting on the opposition squad. “Nick has showed in the last couple
of four day matches he has a very good defence and I'm surprised he's not in the team for the first Test.”
Compton has so far played nine Tests for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013, managing 479 runs with the help of two centuries and a fifty. Having registered 20 hundreds so far, he possesses a very good record in first-class cricket
as well. By performing well in the on-going county season in England, the opening batsman can strengthen his case for a comeback in the Test team during the later stages of the Ashes, if Root fails to make an impact at the top of the order.
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