Brown prays for sun and spin

Jason Brown is relishing the chance to bowl in tandem with skipper Nicky Boje this season

Jason Brown is hoping for sunny skies and turning wickets at Wantage Road as Northamptonshire seek to exploit their wealth of spinning talent.

Northants’ longest-serving player, the amiable 33-year-old off-spinner celebrates his benefit year after 14 years on the county’s books.

With former South African all-rounder Nicky Boje appointed as the new captain, and fellow left-armer Monty Panesar available for some matches, England permitting, Northants boast one of the strongest slow bowling line-ups in county cricket.

“It’s a massive year for me on and off the pitch,” Brown told ecb.co.uk.

“From my perspective it would be perfect if the sun came out and wickets began to turn big again, as last season’s wet weather wasn’t ideal for spin.”

Brown bowled in tandem with Boje at the tail-end of last season, when the South African arrived to help turn around the final few weeks of Northants’ campaign.

“Nicky’s only been here a short time, but we are different types of bowlers and could complement each other nicely," added Brown.

“I’ve obviously bowled in tandem with Monty as well, who’s like a left-arm seamer compared to Nicky!

“I think we all hope Monty will be playing for England so that will give me more opportunity to forge a partnership.”

It is unlikely that Northants will choose to play two spinners early in the season, with their LV County Championship Division Two campaign beginning at Essex on Wednesday.

Northants have had strong all-round options in recent years, and this season is no different with seamer Johann Louw rejoining as an overseas player after spells with the county in 2004 and 2005.

Louw has a first-class century and 12 fifties to his name, and looks likely to join fellow South Africans Boje and Klusener in the middle order.

In contrast, Brown boasts a first-class batting average of 7.42, and he is the first to concede he is not among the county’s list of multi-dimensional cricketers.

But the one-time England spinner believes the batting strengths of Louw and Klusener will allow Northants to play two spinners.

Brown flirted with international recognition on tour in Sri Lanka in 2000/01 © Getty Images

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“We’ve probably lost Johan van der Wath and Andrew Hall, but we’ve gone for Johann Louw as an overseas player. We’ve had him here before and he’s a lovely bloke and fantastic for the club.”

Brown joked: “If our captain batted at three, you could fit me in at the end. Seriously, though, there are potentially three or four seamers here that can bat, so I can come in down the order and we could play six bowlers.

“Most people would agree that would constitute one of the strongest attacks in the country.”

After leaving his native Staffordshire aged 19, Brown has spent his entire professional career at Northampton and has been one of county cricket’s most consistent spinners.

His brief brush with international cricket came and went in March 2001.

A strong winter for England A in the Caribbean saw Brown drafted into the England squad that came from behind to take a famous 2-1 Test series win against Sri Lanka.

He was given the nod ahead of Ashley Giles in a warm-up game for the second Test, a 50-over clash with a Sri Lankan Colts XI at Kurunegala.

But Brown went wicketless and was taken for 30 runs off his five overs.

He has not had an international look-in since, although he was on an MCC tour to Kenya in 2002.

But Brown appears happy with his lot at Northants, and is currently planning for all the off-field events that accompany a benefit year.

Brown, who comes from the same area as Robbie Williams, has a few ideas up his sleeve.

“It’s quite exciting and quite daunting," he said. "It’s been quite slow to start off, but when the diehard fans come back I’m sure it’ll liven up a bit.

“We have a few ideas planned. You’ll have to wait and see.”