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| Full name | David Paul Fulton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1971-11-15)15 November 1971 (age 54) Lewisham, Greater London | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Slow left-arm orthodox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Batsman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | Richard Davis (brother-in-law) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–2006 | Kent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:CricInfo,25 May 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
David Paul Fulton (born 15 November 1971) is a former English professionalcricketer who played for 15 seasons forKent County Cricket Club. He played as a right-handedopening batsman who occasionally bowledleft-arm orthodox spin. Since retiring fromfirst-class cricket in 2006 he has been a cricket journalist withThe Times andSky Sports.[1] Fulton was born inLewisham in Greater London in 1971.
Having been educated atThe Judd School inTonbridge and theUniversity of Kent, Fulton joined Kent in 1992.[2] His first-class debut came atFenner's, where he scored 16 and 42 in the match againstCambridge University.[3] Later that year he appeared in the University Championship final for the University of Kent, where he contributed 10 runs in the defeat to theUniversity of Durham.[4]
Once established in the first-team, Fulton performed consistently in the seasons between 1995 and 1998, where he averaged over 30 every year.[5] In 1995 Fulton stood in as opening batsman in place ofMark Benson in the final of theBenson and Hedges Cup which Kent lost toLancashire,Christopher Martin-Jenkins reporting that "Fulton had an outstanding day in the field, [and] launched the innings with confidence and style - in a sunhat, not a helmet",[6] and helped Kent to win theSunday League.[7] 1996 also saw Fulton take his only first-class wicket; that ofOxford University batsmanWilliam Kendall,caught and bowled. Fulton's best run-scoring return was 954runs in 1998, a season in which he hit his first double century. Playing againstYorkshire atMote Park,Maidstone, Fulton posted 207not out over the course of ten-and-a-half hours to save Kent from a heavy defeat.[8] However, his innings was criticised by some, notably Clive Ellis ofThe Daily Telegraph, of being so slow that it prevented Kent from reaching a position to set a target.[9]
His run-scoring returns declined in 1999 and 2000, whilst his average slipped into the mid-twenties.[5] However, 2001 proved a much more productive year. In eighteen first-class matches, Fulton scored a total of 1892 runs, at an average of 75.68.[5] His form over the season was noticed by the national selectors, who according toNasser Hussain, originally selected him in place ofMark Butcher for the fourth Test againstAustralia, before having a change of heart and reinstating Butcher.[10] Nonetheless, Fulton was named Player of the Year by theProfessional Cricketers' Association at the end of the season.[11]
The 2002 season saw Fulton share the captaincy withMatthew Fleming, with Fulton leading the side in first-class cricket and Fleming leading in one-day matches.[12] The captaincy did not affect his batting, as he scored 1358 runs, his second thousand-run season in succession.[5] The Australian captainSteve Waugh, in his brief spell as overseas player for Kent, remarked that he could be "a future England captain"[13]
Whilst preparing for the 2003 season, Fulton was hit in the eye by a ball from a bowling machine, whilst practising thepull shot.[2][14] The injury ruled him out for the first eight weeks of the season, and Fulton admitted upon standing down from the captaincy three seasons later that his eye was still troubling him.[13] Despite this, he still managed to score over 600 runs in eleven matches.[5] He consistently scored runs for the next three seasons, whilst helping Kent challenge for first-class honours. 2004 saw Kent finish second toWarwickshire, and his side also challenged for the 2005 title.
He stepped down from the one-day captaincy after being dropped, ahead of Kent'sC&G Trophy quarter-final against Warwickshire in 2005. Handing the one-day captaincy toMatthew Walker, he continued as first-class captain until the end of the season, where a run-chase agreement led to him being criticised by other county captains.[15] In an attempt to keep his side's Championship hopes alive, he agreed to chase a target of 420 in 70 overs withNottinghamshire captainStephen Fleming; Kent managed only to reach 210. The win for Nottinghamshire secured them the Championship.Shane Warne, theHampshire captain whose side were also in the running for the title, described the agreement as "one of the dumbest things I have ever seen."[15] Fulton stood down as captain a week later.[13]
Fulton was awarded a benefit year in 2006, with proceeds totalling £105,000, half of which was given to charity. He retired at the end of the season, having scored 155 in his final first-class innings; againstMiddlesex.[16] Owing to club captainRob Key being rested and stand-in captainMartin van Jaarsveld being in hospital, Fulton led the side on to the field during the final session as acting captain.
Fulton published an analysis of captaincy in recentAshes cricket in 2009, to which Shane Warne, in spite of their earlier disagreements, contributed aForeword.[17]
Fulton thoroughly impressed Steve Waugh, who was at Kent as an overseas player in 2002 when Fulton was sharing the captaincy with Matthew Fleming.
| Sporting positions | ||
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| Preceded by | Kent County Cricket Clubcaptain 2002–2005 | Succeeded by |
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