PROMISING Worcestershire pace ace Pat Brown is looking forward to the challenge of international cricket as he embarks on his first England tour.
Speaking before he joined his England team-mates for the flight to New Zealand on Monday (October 21), Brown said he couldn’t wait to step up to a higher level.
The 21-year-old pace bowler said the first call he made after being told he had been picked for the tour was to his parents who played a large role in his early development in transporting him to and fro from Lincolnshire to training at Malvern College and Blackfinch New Road.
“They thought I was taking the mickey. It was one of the strangest calls I’ve ever had to them,” said Brown. “It was really surreal and my dad was tearful.
“It brought back memories of the drives from Lincolnshire and the hours they gave up to help me.”
The Worcestershire paceman has been selected as part of the England T20 squad for five matches against the Black Caps. The first T20 game takes place on November 1 in Christchurch.
“It’s a five-game series and I hope I get given at least one chance. It will be an incredible feeling if it happens,” he said.
“It’s a challenge for me against better players on different pitches. It’s a challenge but one I’m looking forward to and hoping I will revel in.”
Brown admitted some of the England team are his cricketing heroes.
“You look up to the likes of Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Eoin Morgan. Even three or four years ago in my wildest dreams I never thought I would be playing with or against them,” he said.
“To be playing with them in an England shirt, is going to be pretty surreal and it’s good I’ve played against them already [in county cricket]. You have that bit of a relationship and mutual respect.
“I’m looking forward to joining up with those guys and learning a lot off them as well.”
