Paul Downton

Paul Downton

Personal information
Full name	Paul Rupert Downton
Born	4 April 1957 (1957-04-04) Farnborough, Kent, England
Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling style	n/a
Career statistics
Competition	Tests	ODIs
Matches	30	28
Runs scored	785	242
Batting average	19.62	16.13
100s/50s	-/4	-/-
Top score	74	44*
Balls bowled	-	-
Wickets	-	-
Bowling average	-	-
5 wickets in innings	-	-
10 wickets in match	-	n/a
Best bowling	-	-
Catches/stumpings	70/5	26/3
Source: Cricinfo, 1 January 2006

Paul Downton (born Paul Rupert Downton, 4 April 1957, Farnborough, Kent) is a former English cricketer, 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".

Life and career

Downton attended Sevenoaks Prep School, 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.