BBC SPORT | CRICKET | Brown's golden summer

Following his call-up by England for the Sri Lanka tour, BBC Sport Online profiles off-spinner Jason Brown.

In mid-June there was no hint of the fun and games to come at Wantage Road.

Northamptonshire were propping up the Second Division of the County Championship and Jason Fred Brown was as anonymous as his name would suggest.

Nine matches later, Brown had taken no fewer than 57 Championship wickets - more than he had managed in five previous seasons on the staff - at less than 20 and Northants were celebrating promotion, most probably as Division Two champions.

Furthermore, chairman of selectors David Graveney, when announcing England's squad to tour Pakistan, made a point of explaining that this lad Brown at Northampton, who most in the room had not seen bowl a single ball, had come close to selection.

Now, however, he has his chance with a warm-up with the A team in the West Indies to be followed by a trip to Sri Lanka with the senior England squad.

But just how could an unknown 26-year-old have been catapulted into the reckoning so unexpectedly?

The truth is that Brown is no stranger to success, though when it came, two years ago, it was to prove more of a millstone than a milestone.

In a blatant attempt to salvage something from a losing season, the groundsman at Wantage Road was ordered to prepare a pitch that would turn from the first day.

Naively, this decision was telegraphed to the English Cricket Board as Devon Malcolm was dropped to the seconds and Brown was promoted as the third spinner.

Sure enough the ball spat from a length for all three spinners - Graeme Swann and Michael Davies were the other two - but it was Brown who caught the eye.

In 15.5 overs he ran through the Sussex batting line-up in the first innings to finish with five for 23.

Northants went on to win by 136 runs but were docked 25 championship points for their troubles.

The damage had been done: Brown became known as the guy who took all those wickets on a ropey pitch at Northampton.

Graeme Swann: Brown's spin partner
It took a touch of the "yips" from left-arm spinner Davies for Brown to be given his chance this year.

He promptly took three for 58 in the second innings against Glamorgan, Northants won by an innings and 99 runs for a maximum-points victory, and Brown had finally earned himself a run in the side.

Five-wicket hauls followed against Warwickshire (two in the match), Worcestershire and Sussex (a career-best seven for 78) as Northants swept to five successive wins.

Bob Carter is swift in his appraisal of Brown - "He will go further" - but when the time comes, people expecting another Muralitharan or Saqlain Mushtaq will be disappointed.

He takes his wickets with accuracy, subtle variations of line and length, with the odd ball turning - proof that control is more valuable than spin.

There are, however, two important question marks over Brown that will govern whether he has international capabilities.

The first concerns his ambition.

Why has he appeared happy to stick with a club who, though they have always maintained that he is the best spinner on their books, have until now been reluctant to play him?

Northants coach Bob Carter
Bob Carter: His faith in Brown's batting has yet to be repaid
The second is whether he will ever score runs - he has almost three times as many first-class wickets as runs (112 wickets to 45 runs).

Carter insists that Brown is a better batsman than his record suggests (a career average under 3), and once batted all day for the seconds.

However, his record this year suggests otherwise: eight of his 12 innings have been scoreless, including three pairs.

Of course, the first concern is governed by the second.

Swann provides runs from the middle order for Northants, added to which Davies offers variety as a left-arm spinner and was an England A tourist last winter.

Surely, however, it would be incumbent on a young, ambitious spinner to seek another county - plenty would bid handsomely for a match-winning spinner.

The answer to Brown's reluctance to look elsewhere is explained in one sentence in the 1999 Cricketers Who's who:

Relaxations: Spending time with the wife. Walking the dog, Spike.

Nice guys come second....or do they?


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