By Charles Randall With England A in Bangladesh

Denis Compton (left) played international cricket from 1937-57

The World Cup would have suited Denis Compton with his batting power, his showmanship and an ability to improvise that was way ahead of his time.

The Middlesex batsman and the incomparable Don Bradman are probably two 'if only' legends from a different era most often associated with this sort of discussion.

The family name and talk of the old times might have been a burden to 23-year-old Nick Compton as he attempts to follow his grandfather's footsteps into the England side.

Perhaps Compton, born in South Africa, is fortunate there is a gap of two generations.

Free of direct comparison, he feels "honoured" by the name and the pleasure Denis brought to thousands as he makes his breakthrough in the game with his first England A tour, in Bangladesh.

"Being the grandson of someone so famous, particularly at Middlesex where I play, means an awful lot to me," Compton said.

"Every time I go to Lord's there is someone recollecting or regaling stories to me about him.

"He obviously meant a huge amount to people, and it brings a smile to my face to be associated with him."

In many ways it's a shame he's not around today as I start a professional cricket career Nick Compton

Compton met Denis several times as a young boy and stayed with him at his Buckinghamshire home during a prep school tour from Durban, where he was raised.

His father Richard was taken to Durban as a boy when his South African mother Valerie and Denis divorced.

Nick still treasures a picture for his 14th birthday - with an affectionate hand-written note from Denis - that arrived after the great man's death in 1997.

Speaking of his early influences, Compton Jr said: "Playing cricket at the highest level was my dream from a young age, perhaps 12 or 13.

Compton scored five Championship centuries for Middlesex in 2006

"The link with my grandfather was only coincidence. I probably first became aware I had a famous grandfather from photographs, pictures and memorabilia in the house.

"In many ways it's a shame he's not around today as I start a professional cricket career. It would have been nice to bounce a few ideas off him, with his experience.

"I remember my dad was throwing me some cricket balls in the back garden at my grandfather's home and I was perfecting my forward defence - high elbow and all that sort of thing from the manual.

"My grandfather was drinking a whisky or brandy, as he did later in his life, and after a while he turned round and called out: 'Bloody hell, just hit the bloody ball.'

"That's something that has stuck with me. One can get too caught up in technique. It was a lesson in itself. That incident and watching matches with him at Lord's and Edgbaston were my last memories of him."

Compton is taller without the powerful build of Denis, an Arsenal and England footballer.

But he has inherited family genes as a six-handicap golfer and an exceptional tennis, hockey and football player in the Natal age groups.

A scholarship to Harrow School brought him to London, where he stayed to start his cricket career after one injury-plagued year at Durham University.

He started the Bangladesh tour with 152 not out in a practice match at Savar.

Perhaps Compton, a good one-day batsman, might yet achieve something his grandfather never did - to one day play for England in the World Cup.