How he rates: Nick Compton, Middlesex

How the press corps salivated when a chap called Compton scored a century at Lord's last month. Nick's 124 against Kent represented a breakthrough for the 22-year-old in the professional game (a hundred against Oxford UCCE a week earlier scarcely counted) and brought gushing reminders of his grandfather Denis, even if the great man's record of 47 centuries at the home of cricket - not to mention his grand total of 122 - might prove a tad more difficult to emulate.

Young Compton's century had been brought up in the "grand manner" - the flamboyant Denis would have been proud of the towering six he struck off Min Patel. Shame it went into the Warner rather than the Compton Stand.

So it was with some anticipation that I went to Southampton recently to watch Compton. Sadly it was on the first morning of their County Championship match when Middlesex chose to bat woefully and were bowled out by Hampshire for 98 - Compton bagging one of six ducks. Shane Warne, Hampshire's captain, said he took one look at Compton's grip on the bat and concluded that leg-side pickings might be in short supply.

With the seamer Billy Taylor in the sort of form that resulted in his figures of 6-32 in the innings, Warne posted only one fielder - the veteran John Crawley at short leg - in front of the bat on that side of the wicket. Compton, tempted by the open spaces, tried to turn a straightish ball towards them but ended up nicking an inside edge via his thigh pad which ballooned up to Crawley. Compton can at least console himself with the knowledge that he is neither the first nor will he be the last to be duped by Warne's fecund cricket brain.

It was only later that I realised I had been the opposing skipper when Compton made his first-team debut, a Norwich Union League match against Glamorgan in 2001. Needless to say I was not as sharp to spot such a technical deficiency, although Compton did only make six. However, those who work with the batsman closely say that he can score all around the wicket, the mark of a supremely talented ball player who also represented Natal at tennis, football and hockey at junior level, as well as being a decent six-handicap golfer.

But, as Warne detected, the extra cover region is definitely his most productive area of scoring, especially off the front foot. He displayed this in the second innings against Hampshire when he made 31 and also swept Warne impressively in front of square on a couple of occasions.

But his South African upbringing on firm pitches (he did not arrive at Harrow school until his mid-teens) also manifested itself when he sometimes "went hard" at the ball. In other words he attempted to drive well out in front of his pad with the ball still on the rise.

With a rather stiff stance he is susceptible to being trapped leg-before and Taylor exploited this weakness at the Rose Bowl. But it is the harnessing of his attitude which will determine the length and productivity of Compton's career, which has already been stalled by a groin injury and still comprises only nine first-class matches.

He attracts considerable verbal attention at the crease, not just for his name but his cocksure bearing too. This was a problem for Kevin Pietersen, another native of South Africa. Compton should take note of how that swagger has been successfully channelled by the England batsman.

Age 22

Born Durban, South Africa

Style Right-hand bat, right-arm off-spin

Height 6ft 2in

Weight 13st 10lb

From Durham University

Honours England U19s, 2002

Attitude 6/10

Fitness 8/10

Stroke range 8/10

Shot selection 6/10

Temperament 6/10