Brown promised Lancs first team action

10:33am Monday 18th August 2008

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Youngster Karl Brown is in line for some first team cricket at Lancashire before the end of the current season.

That is the view of Red Rose cricket manager Mike Watkinson, as he tries to blood some of his young crop of rising stars in the Pro40 League campaign.

Although not out of the question, it seems unlikely the 20 year-old former Atherton batsman will get his chance in the County Championship side. But Watkinson has at least opened the door for a shot at 40-over cricket.

That is, of course, if the rain stays away. Lancashire’s fourth game of the NatWest Division One season against Middlesex was washed out without a ball bowled at Old Trafford yesterday.

The Lightning have now had three No Results out of four games.

“Karl Brown is just waiting in the wings for that really big score that will enable him to knock very hard on the door,” said Watkinson, a Boltonian himself.

“I think he is certainly in a position to be considered. One thing that we look for is for second team players to string performances together to really push hard on the first teamers. But the last couple of weeks hasn’t been ideal for the likes of Chilton, Loye, Mullaney, Brown, Cross and Hogg to get out there and score 150, and then back it up with a 90 because of the weather.”

Brown, who has scored 616 runs and one century in the Second XI Championship this summer, has only played one competitive first team game. He scored one against Worcestershire in last season’s Friends Provident Trophy opener.

“It was difficult wicket to bat on against the likes of Doug Bollinger and Kabir Ali. We played against Bangladesh A the other week too, and he shouldered arms to one that ripped middle stump out,” continued Watkinson.

“But we think a lot of him here. He is doing well. He pro’s at Milnrow in the Central Lancashire League, which is a lot of pressure. He’s playing against a lot of Test players where a lot is expected of him.

“That is helping his maturity. A few big scores, and he is right in there. I would like to think that he is going to get a go at some stage during the rest of the season.

“He is a good lad with a simple technique – and a very good attitude. We want to get the young players in.”