Paul Downton
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Paul Rupert Downton | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | off-break | 4 April 1957|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Relations | George Downton (father) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National side |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Test debut (cap 488) | 13 February 1981 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 30 June 1988 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI debut (cap 41) | 23 December 1977 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last ODI | 23 May 1988 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1977–1979 | Kent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1980–1991 | Middlesex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: CricInfo, 5 October 2023 |
Paul Rupert Downton (born 4 April 1957) is a retired cricketer and cricket administrator.
He previously served as director of cricket at Kent County Cricket Club (2018-2023) [1] and managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board between February 2014 and April 2015. He was a part of the English squad which finished as runners-up at the 1987 Cricket World Cup.
He is a former English professional cricketer who played in 30 Test matches and 28 One Day Internationals for the England cricket team between 1977 and 1989. He was a wicket-keeper who played for Kent County Cricket Club from 1977 to 1979 and for Middlesex between 1980 and 1991.
Life and cricket career
Downton was born at
His father, George, had played briefly for Kent in the post-war period and Downton's early county cricket career was with the same county. Kent shared the 1977 County Championship and won the competition outright in 1978 but Downton became frustrated deputising for Alan Knott in the 1979 season and moved to Middlesex in 1980.
On arrival, he has been described by a teammate there as "an intelligent, dapper individual ... who did not immediately seem to fit with the rather cruder, laddish Londoners in the team".[2] On his first-class debut with Middlesex, the captain, Mike Brearley, chose to use Downton as an opener, and the two registered an opening partnership of 160.[2]
Downton tasted
A trustworthy, affable and resourceful team member, Downton played a starring role in Middlesex's successes in the 1980s; they won the
Post cricket career
Downton's cricket career ended in 1991 when he failed to recover from a freak eye injury. A bail lodged in his eye when he was standing up to the stumps during a Sunday League match at Basingstoke in 1990.[1]
After retiring from cricket, he became a stockbroker with James Capel and Cazenove & Co, having been "partly immersed in the City"[2] by the time of his accident.
On 16 October 2013, Downton was appointed to the position of Managing Director of the England and Wales Cricket Board with effect from 1 February 2014. He replaced Hugh Morris who resigned to become chief executive and managing director of Glamorgan County Cricket Club.[8] He left the role on 8 April 2015.[9]
He served as Director of Cricket of Kent between January 2018 and his retirement in September 2023.[10]
References
- ^ ISBN 1-869833-21-X.
- ^ a b c d Hughes, Simon (19 October 2013). "England have picked a diamond in decent, dignified and debonair Paul Downton as managing director". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
- ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ^ "ECB names Paul Downton as new managing director in reshuffle". BBC Sport. BBC. 16 October 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
- ^ "ECB: Paul Downton leaves ECB role after dismal World Cup". BBC Sport. BBC. 8 April 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
- ^ Paul Downton to retire after 2023 season, Kent County Cricket Club. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
External links