Freddie Brown

Frederick Richard Brown (16 December 1910 – 24 July 1991) was an English amateur cricketer who played Test cricket for England from 1931 to 1953, and first-class cricket for Cambridge University (1930–31), Surrey (1931–48), and Northamptonshire (1949–53). He was a genuine all-rounder, batting right-handed and bowling either right-arm medium pace or leg break and googly. Brown was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1933, but his career declined thereafter until he was made captain of Northamptonshire and England in 1949. Brown was an England selector from 1951 to 1953 and Chairman of Selectors in 1953 when England regained the Ashes. Subsequently, he was involved in cricket administration including tour management. He was elected President of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1971–72 and Chairman of the Cricket Council in 1977. He was awarded the MBE in 1942 for his gallantry in the evacuation of the British Army from Crete and the CBE in 1980 for services to cricket. Early life and development as a cricketer Brown was the son of Roger Grounds Brown, an English businessman in Peru who was a keen cricketer, opening the batting and taking 5/50 for Lima Cricket and Football Club against Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1926–27. Brown's sister Aline was a left-handed batter for the Women's Cricket Association from 1934 to 1948 and, later, his sons Richard Philip and Christopher Frederick played minor cricket. Brown was naturally left-handed, but forced to use his "proper" right hand from an early age, fortunately without affecting his cricket. He was educated at the Saint Peter's School in Chile, where he played little cricket, and from 1921 at St Piran's school in Maidenhead, where he was taught googly bowling by South African all-rounder Aubrey Faulkner. In 1925, Brown moved to The Leys School in Cambridge and topped the school batting and bowling averages. He continued his studies at St John's College, Cambridge and played for Cambridge University Cricket Club, making his debut in 1930.