The son of George a Kent stumper of the 1940's, born a Man of Kent in 1957, Paul Rupert Downton, was a wicket-keeper and useful right-handed batsman, who represented his native county Kent from 1977 to 1979 as deputy to Alan Knott until his move to Middlesex in 1980. He played 314 first-class matches, scoring 8,270 runs with a top score of 126 n.o. versus Oxford University at The Parks, Oxford in 1986 and he took 779 dismissals (690 catches, 89 stumpings). Whilst scoring his maiden first-class century, 104, he also added 289 for the 5th wicket with Clive Radley versus Northamptonshire at Uxbridge in 1985. After suffering a freak eye injury when hit by a flying bail in the Sunday League match versus Hampshire at Basingstoke in 1990, he retired in 1991. For England he played 30 Tests, touring abroad 7 times, he scored 785 runs with a top score of 74 versus India at Delhi in 1984/85 and he achieved 75 dismissals. Since retiring he has concentrated on working in the city and is a member of the Club’s General Committee.
