MIDDLESEX can forget about winning trophies until at least 2011.
That was the candid opinion of Nic Compton this week, despite the Panthers bouncing back from their dreadful County Championship defeat at Leicester with an all too rare victory over arch rivals Surrey in the Pro40 on Sunday.
In an incredibly frank interview, the grandson of Middlesex and England legend Dennis Compton, hit out at the crazy expectations which surround the men of Lord’s.
Speaking ahead of the start of yesterday’s Championship game with Derbyshire he said: "People need to remember we’ve had a lot of changes of captain in recent seasons and things haven’t been that settled. I dare to think how many captains have come and gone since I’ve been at the club.
"Now this year Shaggy (Shaun Udal) and Angus (Fraser) are finding their feet.
"So for people to say every time there is a new regime ‘we are going to win the championship this year’ is crazy. You don’t just rock up and win the Championship.
"We are not going to win any trophies for the next couple of years - deal with it.
"And we need to stop kidding ourselves we are a big club because we are not. It’s all too easy to look too far into the future and get ahead of ourselves, but if we can stay humble and hungry we can make progress."
Compton was equally candid when it came to discussing his own cricketing fortunes.
The South African-born right-hander’s 87 not out in Sunday’s win over the Brown Caps was the latest innings to suggest he is emerging from the horror story of last season, when he became almost an outcast under Ed Smith.
The 25-year-old made no secret of his strained relationship with the former captain, but feels he’s beginning to turn the corner.
He added: "The challenge for me at the top of the order is one of consistency.
"I’m delighted to be involved again as I didn’t feature much last season because of Ed Smith - I didn’t get on with him that much.
"But I’ve been working hard and feel my game is in decent order.
"There’s still a long way to go in the season and I’d like to think I can still be the rock at the top of the order on which Middlesex can build."
