Compton puts England behind him to lift Middlesex title hopes

Middlesex 408 for 6 (Gubbins 145, Compton 131, Onions 3-76) lead Durham 204 (Rayner 4-17, Franklin 3-26) by 204 runs
Scorecard

The hearty cheers that reverberated around Lord's told their own tale. Nick Compton had not merely reached a century at HQ, but had helped Middlesex into a position of dominance and, in the process, strengthened his team's hold on the summit of Division One. So as he punched the air in delight at his century, removing his helmet to acknowledge the crowd's applause, Compton had much reason to be proud.

That recent months have been among the most trying of Compton's professional life hardly needs restating. Indeed, when he brought up his 50, it was his first half-century of the year, and first since his crucial 85 underpinned England's victory in the Durban Test at the end of 2015.

Given these circumstances, and the huge importance of this match to his team, few of Compton's 25 first-class centuries can have been the cause of so much satisfaction. On this evidence, plenty more will be forthcoming in the County Championship. Compton has only just turned 33, retains one of the most resolute defensive techniques in the land and has a ravenous appetite for runs that few can rival in the county game.

There seems no reason why, if he has the inclination, he cannot continue to feast in the shires for many years, a little like Marcus Trescothick and Mark Ramprakash, two other players who, for contrasting reasons, enjoyed international careers shorter than they had envisaged.

Adhesive defence has been Compton's hallmark, and this innings was no different: he had to summon all of his fortitude to resist Rushwoth's swing and the bounce of Mark Wood. And yet Compton revealed plenty more of his game: relentlessly efficient clips through the legside, some imperious hooks, and a succession of meticulously-placed late cuts, including the steer off Scott Borthwick that brought up his century a little before three o'clock. While the early stages of his innings had been a little jittery, Compton unobtrusively gained in fluency, using his feet nimbly to spin and outpacing Nick Gubbins during their fertile alliance.

Together with Gubbins, Compton added 247 runs in 79.1 overs, and how they fed of each other was highlighted not just by their harrying between the wickets but how Gubbins left his crease so early to laud Compton for his century that Durham might have run him out.

This was a match-defining partnership, and a record-breaking one: Middlesex's highest stand for the second wicket against Durham and only one shy of equalling the record for any wicket. Gubbins' dismissal also left him one short of being the first batsman to reach 1,000 runs in the County Championship in 2016. Still, he might reflect that 999 runs at 66.60 apiece is not too shabby.

Although this was only his third first-class century - Gubbins fell three times in the 90s before reaching his first - it brimmed with not merely assurance and class, but, for those who have witnessed him this season, a certain feeling of inevitability. Given that England are hardly overburdened with proven opening partners for Alastair Cook, it would be a surprise if Gubbins was not rewarded by a England Lions berth.

Cricket has always fetishised the grace of the left-hander, and, in his clips through the legside, driving through point and dexterous use of his feet against spin, Gubbins has an elegance in keeping with this tradition. All these shots were in evidence against Durham; more importantly, so was Gubbins' grit.

How he needed it to withstand Wood. Wood's frustration has been palpable all day, and, with Gubbins on 99, he expressed it in an over of short bowling, harassing Gubbins with a short leg and fly slip. Gubbins withstood, and reached his century against Borthwick in the next over, but still Wood returned, a brutal rising delivery from him smashing into Gubbins' grill. When Wood eventually found late movement to induce Gubbins to edge to slip and end the second wicket stand, he looked to the sky - less in relief at the wicket, but in exasperation at waiting so long for it.

When the second wicket stand was nascent, the previous evening, Gubbins had been spilled behind, off Onions; Compton had also survived two chances to the slips off Chris Rushworth before he has reached 20, one on the first evening and one on the second morning.

By the time it finally ended, the alliance between Compton and Gubbins was worth more than the entirety of Durham's first innings and, buttressed by a forceful cameo from Paul Stirling, had secured Middlesex a lead of over 200: a position from which they will expect to win convincingly, in the process extend their lead at the top of Division One.

And, as loud as the cheers that greeted Compton's century were, Middlesex can dream of even more boisterous acclaim should they clinch the Championship crown here against Yorkshire in the final game of the season.