In July 2002, Compton made his U19 Test match debut against India, but made a total of just six runs from his two innings opening the batting. He had to wait until August for his next first-team appearance where he played four further Norwich Union League, impressing in reaching his maiden one day half-century with an 86 not out against Lancashire. His promise saw him awarded Middlesex's NBC Denis Compton award for the second consecutive year. Compton did not play at all for the Middlesex first team during the 2003 season due to injury and made his first-class debut against Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence in May 2004, Compton played a further three matches in the County Championship that season, in addition to ten one day matches and his Twenty20 debut. He only played in one first-class match in 2005 but scored his debut half-century in the match against Cambridge UCCE. In the winter of that year he would continue to hone his skills by playing domestic club cricket in Durban for Berea Rovers, the former local club of South African-born England cricketer Kevin Pietersen.