Paul Downton
Encyclopedia
Paul Downton is a former English
cricket
er, who played in thirty Tests
and twenty eight ODIs from 1977 to 1989. He was a wicket-keeper
and a useful batsman in the lower middle-order
. He played his county cricket
for both Kent
and Middlesex
.
Cricket correspondent, Colin Bateman, noted, "Downton was unfortunate to have to pick up the gaunlets thrown down by Alan Knott
and Bob Taylor
. They had worn the wicketkeeping gloves with artistry in their hands, and any successor was liable to suffer by comparison. And so it was for Downton, although he was a much better 'keeper than many gave him credit for".
, Sevenoaks School
and the University of Exeter
. He obtained a degree
in law, a certificate in coaching
and earned international honours at youth level in both cricket and rugby union
. His early county cricket
career was with Kent, but became frustrated filling in for Alan Knott when on international duties. He moved to Middlesex in 1980, and tasted Test cricket
for the first time in the West Indies that winter. He waited until the summer of 1984 for further such honours, when he was picked at home to bolster England's batting options against the West Indies. It began an uninterrupted twenty three match run in the national team.
A trustworthy, affable and resourceful team member, Downton played a starring role in Middlesex's successes in the 1980s.
His cricket career ended when he suffered a freak eye injury, in which a bail lodged in his eye when he was standing up to the stumps. He subsequently became a stock broker
at Cazenove & Co.
Downton now lives in Sevenoaks
, Kent, with his wife Ali Downton. They have two children; Phoebe, born 1987 and Jonty, born 1989. both are now studying at the University of Exeter
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er, who played in thirty Tests
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
and twenty eight ODIs from 1977 to 1989. He was a wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
and a useful batsman in the lower middle-order
Batting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
. He played his county cricket
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
for both Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
and Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
.
Cricket correspondent, Colin Bateman, noted, "Downton was unfortunate to have to pick up the gaunlets thrown down by Alan Knott
Alan Knott
Alan Philip Eric Knott is a former Kent County Cricket Club and English cricketer, as a wicket-keeper-batsman....
and Bob Taylor
Bob Taylor (cricketer)
Robert William Taylor , known as Bob Taylor, is a former English cricketer who played as wicket-keeper for Derbyshire between 1961 and 1984 and for England between 1971 and 1984. He made 57 Test, and 639 first class cricket appearances in total, taking 1,473 catches. The 2,069 victims across his...
. They had worn the wicketkeeping gloves with artistry in their hands, and any successor was liable to suffer by comparison. And so it was for Downton, although he was a much better 'keeper than many gave him credit for".
Life and career
Downton attended Sevenoaks Prep SchoolSevenoaks Prep School
Sevenoaks Prep School is a preparatory school in Sevenoaks in south-east England. It is situated in the London commuter belt. A mixed school of some 380 children, there is a significant proportion of pupils from international backgrounds....
, Sevenoaks School
Sevenoaks School
Sevenoaks School is an English coeducational independent school located in the town of Sevenoaks, Kent. It is the oldest lay school in the United Kingdom, dating back to 1432. Almost 1,000 day pupils and boarders attend, ranging in age from 11 to 18 years. There are approximately equal numbers of...
and the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
. He obtained a degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
in law, a certificate in coaching
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and earned international honours at youth level in both cricket and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. His early county cricket
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
career was with Kent, but became frustrated filling in for Alan Knott when on international duties. He moved to Middlesex in 1980, and tasted Test cricket
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
for the first time in the West Indies that winter. He waited until the summer of 1984 for further such honours, when he was picked at home to bolster England's batting options against the West Indies. It began an uninterrupted twenty three match run in the national team.
A trustworthy, affable and resourceful team member, Downton played a starring role in Middlesex's successes in the 1980s.
His cricket career ended when he suffered a freak eye injury, in which a bail lodged in his eye when he was standing up to the stumps. He subsequently became a stock broker
Stock broker
A stock broker or stockbroker is a regulated professional broker who buys and sells shares and other securities through market makers or Agency Only Firms on behalf of investors...
at Cazenove & Co.
Downton now lives in Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks is a commuter town situated on the London fringe of west Kent, England, some 20 miles south-east of Charing Cross, on one of the principal commuter rail lines from the capital...
, Kent, with his wife Ali Downton. They have two children; Phoebe, born 1987 and Jonty, born 1989. both are now studying at the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
.