Butcher pays tribute to Brown

Alan Butcher believes Ali Brown will sign for a new county for the 2009 season

The release of “great entertainer” Ali Brown provided a sombre backdrop as Surrey’s hopes of avoiding relegation from LV County Championship Division One again receded with a near washout at Canterbury.

The eight minutes, 13 balls and no runs scored by Surrey’s openers - before the rain got serious for the second successive day, as forecast - were of no particular use to two sides badly needing a victory at either end of the table.

Kent remain in touch to push for the title - but like their visitors, 18 points adrift of second-bottom Yorkshire at the start of this round and needing to overhaul two teams to escape, they can ill afford many more non-experiences like this.

The paltry play this morning is the most the elements have allowed Surrey in their last scheduled six days of championship cricket - following a complete washout against Lancashire at Blackpool last week.

There was a certain aptness therefore in the depressing circumstances when Surrey confirmed they were bidding farewell to the swashbuckling Brown - a batsman associated with rampant run-scoring and with many much happier times for the club.

At a time of year when contract issues jangle the nerves as much as points won and lost, Kent have their own thickening plot over the future of all-rounder Ryan McLaren - whom South Africa coach Mickey Arthur is hoping to tempt back from a Kolpak deal to represent his native country.

That full story is yet to be told, but sadly for 38-year-old former England one-day international Brown, the final act - as a Surrey player at least - appears to have been played.

The county’s cricket manager Alan Butcher was generous in his tribute.

“He was a great entertainer,” he said of a middle-order batsman, whose 268 against Glamorgan in the 2002 C&G Trophy at the Oval remains a limited-overs world record.

“His one-day record speaks for itself, but he also played many match-winnings innings in championship cricket as well.

“He was a big part of our trophy-winning side at the start of the century.”

Surrey fans will remember Ali Brown for his attacking instincts in all forms of the game

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Time, however, moves on - and Butcher explained: “All good things come to an end, and we had to move forward and find out what we had in our youth set-up and give some opportunities to some younger players.

“For that reason, Browny won’t be with us for 2009.”

It is a decision taken with obvious mixed feelings.

“You always think deeply about leaving a player like that out of the side, because one innings could win you a game,” Butcher concedes.

“But at some stage you have to accept that the match-winning innings are getting fewer as the season goes on - and you have to look to the future.”

It will be no surprise to Surrey if Brown - scorer of 44 first-class hundreds and almost 15,000 runs at an average of 43.35 - attracts attention from new employers.

“He definitely frightened bowlers – he hit the ball hard in funny areas,” Butcher recalled.

“He was very positive about the way he played. There was no fear of failure there. He decided he was going to take the bowler on - and won on many occasions.

“I’m sure someone will [sign him up].

“I half-expected someone to come in and take him on for the rest of the season. I’m pretty sure he wants to continue his career - and I’m sure someone will give him that opportunity.”