De La Salle Kingsgrove CC veteran Paul Compton ticked off a remarkable personal milestone earlier this month, taking his 1000th wicket for the Sydney-based club.
The 60-year-old, who started playing senior cricket with DLSKCC in 1983, completed the feat in his 40th season representing the club. He got the wicket with his final delivery of last weekend’s match against Coogee Bay at Peakhurst Park, a top-edged pull shot from Finn O’Neill that was caught at short mid-wicket by teammate Achilleas Spanos.
“Finally … that last hundred was the hardest,” Compton told Fox Cricket.
“I just wanted to get it done … I started to get frustrated, and my bowling goes to s*** when I get frustrated.”
The right-armed finished with 3-19 from five overs as DLSKCC cruised to a nine-wicket victory.
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Of his 1000 wickets with the club, 422 were bowled, 458 were caught, 113 LBW, two stumpings and a hit wicket. The other four dismissals are unknown due to a missing scorebook.
However, Compton believes he was robbed of a few LBW dismissals because of biased umpiring from members of the batting side.
“My dad instilled it in me to just bowl straight. If they miss it, you hit the stumps,” explained Compton, who compared his bowling style to former Australian all-rounder Doug Walters.
“I’m not a quick bowler, never been fast.”
Compton has won seven premierships at DLSKCC, earning life membership in 2011. He claimed career-best figures of 8-30 against Allwah Hunters in 1987, also snaring his first hat-trick against Illawarra Catholic Club in January last year.
“The excitement of me getting the hat-trick was bigger than the 1000th wicket,” Compton confessed.
“I reckon I’d had about 80 attempts, I swear. There have been so many.
“It was just so good to get that monkey off my back.”
Compton, who works as a banker, is one of five brothers who played cricket, along with his father Keith. His two sons also represented DLSKCC, but Adam now plays for a rival club while Luke is “more interested in his girlfriend” this season.
“He just needed a break from cricket,” Compton said.
“Whether he comes back, I’m not sure, but that’s alright.
“I’m hoping he does.”
Despite battling various injuries throughout his 40-year career, Compton has no intention of retiring anytime soon.
“I’m going to keep playing until my body breaks down,” he declared.
“I’ve done all the usuals, done my hamstring, done my groin, done my calf, done my shoulder.
“It keeps me occupied in summer, and I love cricket.
“I’ve just outlasted everybody.”
The question had to be asked — is 1500 wickets on the cards?
“That’ll take me another 20 years!” Compton laughed.
“Not sure whether I’d last another 20, but I’d like to.
“We’ll see what happens. You never know.”
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After enjoying a bye on the weekend, Compton is preparing to face Illawarra Catholic Club at Beverly Hills Park on Saturday, where he’ll be hunting his 1001st victim.
“Community cricketers such as Paul Compton embody the true spirit of the game,” Craig McLean, Head of Community Cricket at Cricket NSW, said in a statement:
“We celebrate his wonderful achievement of getting his 1000th wicket and his loyalty to his club.
“Cricket is a sport for everyone and it is moments such as these that encourage our younger cricketers to play and love the game for a lifetime.”
